New Challenge: Crossroads of the Fallen King
Cross "The Silmarillion" with a second text or fandom in this month's crossover challenge.
SWG News
A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] On a night of stars, a bird by Quente
Nimloth and Dior meet, and he is naked.
Alternatively,
Melian travels south to visit her daughter, and meets a familiar looking bird.
Written for the Tengwar prompt, Quessë (feather).
[Writing] Apprentice by Quente
Dior is in Menegroth learning to be his grandfather's heir -- but his grandmother decides to take him as apprentice too.
Written for the Tengwar Challenge, May 15: Súlë (spirit).
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge.
All 36 prompts plus bonus chapter
[Writing] A blip on the radar by daughterofshadows
Humanity took to the skies. Eärendil and Ilmarë adjust.
[Writing] History abandons us by AdmirableMonster
During his incarceration in Roderick Burgess' basement, Dream receives a strange, ancient visitor.
[Writing] Tengwar Acrostics by Himring
Responses to the Tengwar Challenge in which first letters spell out the name of a tengwa.
1) Early Encounter (Nerdanel, Indis)
2) Numenorean Lullaby (Almarian, Aldarion)
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Songs of Arda
Create a fanwork about music. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Mythcon 53: Fantasies of the Middle Lands
Mythcon 53 will be held 2-5 August 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the theme "Fantasies of the Middle Lands."
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
Fanworks Tagged with Violence (Mild)
The Truth Shall Set You Free by Vicki_Turner
After the destruction of Sirion, Maglor took pity on Elrond and Elros and cared for them. It's known that love grew between them, but how long can one remain ignorant?
We Said We'd Live Forever by Ilma
An ultimately doomed love.
Remembrance by ford_of_bruinen
A chance meeting between elves of Doriath, led by Daeron, and Amrod son of Feanor brings back bad memories and feelings...
Written in the Starlight by Rhapsody
Thus ended Beleg Strongbow, truest of friends, greatest in skill of all that harboured in the woods of Beleriand in the Elder Days, at the hand of him whom he most loved.
Or did he not? What would have happened if, by a slight change of fate, Beleg Strongbow survived?
This story ends here and is not going to be ever continued because my co-author Rhapsody is no longer with us. She died on October the 22nd 2020 and it is when my heart shattered.
Oaths Foresworn by Rhapsody
On the docks of the Mouth of Sirion, Maglor finds his brother Amrod injured. What transpired between them before Amrod passed away?
~ Mithril Awards 2005 finalist for 'Best Best Vignette or Short Story' and ' Best Silmarillion' ~
~ MEFA 2006 1st place in First Age and Prior: general. Thanks to Minuialeth for nominating it!~
The Inner Light by Rhapsody
A Noldor elf has all the reasons not to sail to Valinor after the Ringbearers left Middle Earth. Wrapped in grief and bound by loyalty, he starts his own journey of redemption by reliving the past and struggling to remain.
Swan Dance by Rhapsody
The thoughts of one of Feänor's sons during the 1st kinslaying in Alqualondë.
Mercy by Tarion Anarore
A drabble on the death of Caranthir Fëanorion.
Statues by Dawn Felagund
Lost in grief over her husband and sons, Nerdanel begins to construct statues to ease her loneliness. Discovered in her pursuit by Eärwen, Nerdanel's exceptional skill might be used to offer some consolation to the Teleri.
The Choices of Spirits by Dawn Felagund
Unlucky in love, Caranthir has settled into his lonely life in Middle-earth when love comes from the most unexpected of places: a mortal woman leading a band of refugees upon his land. In the love that grows between Haleth and Caranthir, the two cannot quite overcome the expectations of their people to be together fully, as they wish, and they face the inevitability of separation after death.
Memories of Cuiviénen by Dawn Felagund
Long ago in Aman, Finwë told his young grandsons the legends of Cuiviénen, hoping that the lessons learned by the Elves in Middle-earth would guide them morally. Many centuries later, in Middle-earth, the sons of Fëanor have lost sight of those lessons, but the rising of a new star suggests all hope is not lost.
