New Challenge: Twenty-Five
It's been twenty-five years since the release of the "Fellowship" film transformed Tolkien fandom. This month's challenge looks back on iconic lines and scenes from the film trilogy.

The folk of the East send a diplomatic mission to reinforce ties with Mordor, after the reported return of her god-king in the wake of the fall of the isle of Númenor. Letters are exchanged. Likely to be a rather episodic, wandering, travelogue sort of story.

Young Míriel is searching for a place to belong, and someone who believes him when he says he's a boy. He ends up gaining welcome and love from an enigmatic figure called Noltar, who teaches the craft of smithing to anyone who asks. But is Noltar really who he says he is, and what kind of welcome will he have in Gondor if the secrets of his past are revealed?

Drabbles! 100 words exactly, according to whatever software I'm writing in. See chapter notes for characters, summaries, and warnings.

Arakáno went down, swarmed by a vicious throng of Orcs wielding crude, blood-hungry blades, and there was nothing Findekáno could do but watch.

On the eve of his wedding, Gil-galad sends three last-minute invitations to his potential fathers.

In the breaking of Beleriand, the love between Elf and mortal does not fade.

Nellas finds Nienor at last, but Nienor doesn't remember her.

Maeglin has just been captured and Melkor is close to capturing Gondolin. But things are not all going well for the Dark Lord. His throne is uncomfortable, sitting around plotting everone's demise has proven to be deeply unfulfilling, and something has to be done about it. Melkor decides to talk to the manager.

What happened at the end of the world as we know

A mortal traveller begs his strange companion to hide from the storm. He won’t. The Wild Hunt is riding.

During the time of the Darkening of Valinor, Aule and Mahtan do a bit of baking.

Marillë tries to teach Maglor to appreciate the perfection of crabs. It only takes Maglor more than an age to truly do so.

Ossë gets permission for revenge.

Firiel and Aranarth lay Arvedui's ghost to rest.

Lady Nienna asks Maeglin to show places to a new arrival – or Maeglin and Sauron meet again in very different circumstances.

In the deeps of Time, when the Valar had uplifted the mountains of the Pélori in the ages after the Marring of Arda, Oromë was granted lordship over the creatures and forests of the Pélori. The great forests, now his and Yavanna’s domain, are the realm of the hunt, where willing eldar go to seek guidance from the Lord of Hunters.

Germany, in our times. We are in Silmaringen, a typical medium-sized town in south-western Germany. There are some last remnants of tobacco farming in the nearby Rhine valley, and when you take the country roads into the foothills of the Black Forest, you can find several decent wineries every few kilometers on the wayside. The lives of the village folk and townspeople alike mostly revolves around who knows whom, and what’s for dinner tonight.

Modern AU, No Oath, No evil creatures bent on gaining control of the earth and destroying everything (I mean, there are politicians in there if you squint but... ), No Elves, No Valar.
The day was grey, but not bad at all for a day of March in North Beleriand. Himring was a perpetually cold city, it earned its name fairly, and yet the city was well loved by its inhabitants. Next to Himring, stood the Himlad national park, mountain, forests, and protected wildlife. That attracted a lot of tourist in the summer season.

But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,
What ship would bear me ever back across so wide a Sea?
The Lord of the Rings, Galadriel’s Song
After Alqualondë, Artanis looks only forward. There is no returning. Not even the curse and prophecy spoken by the dark figure standing high upon a rock could compel her to retrace her steps in sorrow. Neither the betrayal and abandonment by the faithless Fëanáro and his sons, the ships that vanished into the unmeasured night. She will not turn back, defeated, begging the Valar’s pardon.

During the destruction of Beleriand, a Maia who calls himself Annatar helps Celebrimbor out.

A trade meeting with a Mannish kingdom goes horribly off course when the recently-crowned Gil-galad realizes that heirs may be expected of him.
Written for Aspec Arda Week 2026 featuring aroace Gil-galad, and general aspec baseline interpretations of some things in HoME and NoME.

Amathorn’s life has always been full. As Gil-galad’s chief guard since his childhood on the Isle of Balar there was no way for it not to be. He never found romantic love, and that never bothered him, he was busy.
When he feels the call West half a millennium after Gil-galad’s death, he assumes this must mean that he is to be released from the Halls of Mandos and re-embodied soon, and goes to him gladly. This does not turn out to be the case however, and instead, he crosses paths with a beautiful Teleri artist. Amathorn has lived for over four and a half thousand years. He has never felt like this before. Oh no.
Written for Aspec Arda Week 2025 featuring a demisexual grey-aro OC, and aroace Gil-galad!

In the aftermath of Sauron's defeat at Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Celebrimbor finds a new ally.

Tensions boil over between the Noldor at Lake Mithrim. Celebrimbor is separated from his father as a guest of Nolofinwe.
This is fine.