New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn and Grundy
The fan studies column Cultus Dispatches returns with a history of how Tolkien fanworks fandom has reacted and resisted generative AI by drawing strong boundaries in a way that is not typical for the fandom.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Famous Last Words
For our March challenge, our moderators will assign you a famous last line to use as a prompt.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] The Mirror Crack'd by AdmirableMonster
Rescued from a brutal Angband hunt, an ex-thrall with a strange and powerful artifact embedded in his spine is brought to Himring, for it is one of the only places in Beleriand which welcomes such folk. Though he has no memories of his life before, Anniavas slowly becomes accustomed to his new…
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
[Writing] Til We're on the Other Side by StarSpray
It was only the second time Finwë had come out foraging with them, and of course this would happen—of course the Hunter would come, the Dark Rider on his steed with its terrible, heavy footfalls, and the deep-throated laughter that held no mirth, only malice.
In the dark…
[Writing] The Endless Years by Elrond's Library
Elwing reckons with the passage of time.
[Writing] a life freely given, a favor returned by skywardstruck
Finrod and Bëor stop for a while on the road to Nargothrond to rest. The bodies of the Secondborn often grow weary, and Finrod laments, massaging Bëor's back and renewing his beloved's vigor with the work of his hands. But Finrod has other burdens of his own, Bëor soon discovers, returning…
[Writing] dye me, nocturne by skywardstruck
Maglor without Maedhros, Daeron without Lúthien. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they can be something more.
Where do you turn, when you have no one else left?
Written for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2023, featuring artwork by athlai.
[Writing] Hill and Water Under Sky by StarSpray
a collection of drabbles and mini ficlets in the meanwhile the world goes on 'verse that aren't long enough to stand on their own
Current Challenge
Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
New in References
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
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.
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
[Writing] Why did Éowyn ask Faramir if he'd rather have a "woman of the race of Númenor"? by Quente
For most of my life, when reading Lord of the Rings, I read it through the perspective of Gandalf's words about Éowyn, that she'd spent years trapped as a caregiver, watching the realm she love fall from honor into disgrace.
But what if Éowyn was also a student of history?
…
Around the World and Web
Angbang Week 2026
Angbang Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Morgoth and Sauron, running from May 5-11, 2026
Gondor Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the history of the realm of Gondor.
Crablor Day
A day dedicated to everyone's favourite warcriminal crustacean - April 26, 2026
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
April Challenge Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge around the theme of "fools," "foolishness," or "being fooled."
Fanworks Tagged with Check Notes for Warnings
Tomber dans les pommes by daughterofshadows
Celebrimbor fainted. Narvi worries about her friend.
Comparisons by Himring
Finduilas of Dol Amroth is not like Finduilas of Nargothrond at all, is she?
Or so she used to think.
Jubilee by polutropos
Ficlets for the Jubilee Challenge instadrabbling.
Clear Pebbles of the Rain by StarSpray
But at the very end of the letter she spoke of one more prisoner that Elladan and Elrohir had discovered in one of the deepest dungeons of Dol Guldur, locked away behind a door unopened in so long that the hinges had rusted.
Maglor has been rescued from Dol Guldur, and now faces a long road of healing.
Bedtime Stories by Anérea
Just a few of my favourite podfics that I've found soothing for bedtime (or middle of the night, or any time really) listening.
Nienor and the Golden Fish by Anérea
An illustration for a very loose crossover concept with Nienor and the magic golden fish from the Chinese fairytale of Ye Xian, a Cindarella tale predating the European version by over 1000 years.
Writing Celebrían by Zara BalrogBalls
Writing — mostly ficlets, meta, creative non-fiction and maybe a little bit of art, for the 30 day character study challenge on Celebrían my beloved! These are going to be out-of-order, but each chapter will make it clear which day it applies to.
Resilience by Independence1776
A Jewish Maglor escapes with twins.
Two double drabbles, set several decades apart.
Stream of Clashing Ice by Himring
Maglor and his companion almost drown in the River Lune.
The Road to Ruin by StarSpray
In his own wanderings, Daeron comes to the shore--and finds Maglor.
Survivors: A Pair of Drabbles by Himring
Written for an Insta-drabbling challenge for Orctober prompts, but not horror (or fluff either): two drabbles about survivors, Maglor and Haleth.
Remembering Serech by Himring
A short history of the Fen of Serech, from happier times until the bitter end.
Little Sparrow by Himring
Life as a thrall of Lorgan is not easy. Tuor's capture complicates things.
Queen of Fire and Water by Himring
Tar-Miriel, still plagued by foresight when nothing can be prevented anymore.
Queen's Gambit by Grundy
A chance find while tidying up Indis' rooms leads to revelations no one was expecting.
Berion's Song by Himring
Berion, captain of Barad Eithel under King Fingon, laments Fingon's death and the loss of his home.
A Tree Named Celeborn by Himring
After the War of Wrath, what was originally planned as a temporary stay (a kind of moral quarantine) on Tol Eressea turns into a permanent settlement. And so we also get another chapter in the history of the White Tree(s).
Far is the high gods' song and low by AdmirableMonster
As Númenor convulses in its death throws, Tar-Míriel converses with a friendly soul before she climbs the Meneltarma to her fate.
Dream of the Black Sword by Flora-lass
Beleg comforts Gwindor in Taur-nu-Fuin, and is rewarded.
Knight Roland's guts, strewn all over the marble ground by Angamaite
Orcs: a treatise on dissection.
Though I keep this from my children by Himring
Morwen, whose view of the world has been permanently darkened by past sufferings, is concerned for her children.
The Dyer's Vat by Himring
A minor incident during the Fall of Eregion: no, this is not about the Gwaith-i-Mirdain or Celebrimbor, it is about the Dyers' Guild. Not one for the history books, but the Eldar remember...
Unforgotten by daughterofshadows
Carrying the Silmaril for millennia has consequences.
A Partial Smoothing by Himring
The news of the Second Kinslaying arrives on Balar among the Falathrim. They are all shocked and horrified, but for one of them, it poses a specific problem.
One-handed Anonymous by Lyra
Imagine a self-help group for fictional characters who have lost one or several hands. That's it. That's the idea.
A very rough sketch to get in just under the wire to respond to three challenges at once:
- Tengwar (ampa - hook; technically Noldo)
- Crossroads of the Fallen King (Crossover with Star Wars, Peter Pan, the MCU, the Aubreiad, real world history, Mad Max and the Queen's Thief series)
- Funky 70s (Star Wars; some of the fancy drinks)
