Innumerable Stars

Creator Reveals!

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:00:04 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Creators have now been revealed!

If you have not already done so, please make sure you comment on your gift(s).

Thank you all for another fantastic year of Innumerable Stars and we hope to see you again next year. Please feel free to leave a comment here or email our mailbox if you have any questions or comments.

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The 2025 Collection Is Open!

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 20:07:19 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

Utúlie'n aurë! The day has come! The collection is open !

There are 42 works in the collection for your enjoyment. (Bear in mind that number might go up - there is no deadline for treats, so treats may still be posted any time.) You are an amazing group of creators!

Recipients - please make sure to comment on your gift(s) to thank your creator(s).

Creators - please bear in mind that not all recipients are able to pounce on their gift and comment immediately, no matter how much they might want to. (We know patience is difficult in this situation, but do your best.)

Everyone - creators love comments! If you like a work in the collection, tell the creator about it.

If there are any questions or issues, please let the mods know. You can drop us an ask on Tumblr, comment here on DW, find us on Discord, or email us at the collection Gmail address.

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Assignments are out!

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 23:16:07 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

Assignments are out! Check your inbox or your AO3 dash.

We hope you're as excited as we are - you have once again wowed us with the tagset, and there are some fabulous prompts. Go forth and create!

Anyone who has a placeholder Dear Creator letter - please make sure it is finished and available by Thursday, sooner if you can manage it. (The first thing most creators do is look at that letter - if you don’t have it done now, get it done ASAP!)

Assignments are due Sunday, 05 October 2025, 8:00 PM UTC

Minimum requirement is 500 words (authors) or a nice sketch on clean, unlined paper or the equivalent in your medium (artists).

If it looks like you will be unable to complete your assignment for some reason, please default as soon as you are sure and let the mods know! This allows us as much time as possible to arrange a pinch hit. There is no penalty for defaulting before the due date.

Any pinch hits will be posted here as soon as we know about them.

Treats - meaning extra gifts - are always welcome, and anyone can create them, signed up or not. If you see a prompt you love and would like to create something for it, go for it! (Treats are not subject to the minimum requirements and have no deadline.) If you think you might like to treat, you can find all the requests in the Requests Summary, and the collection is here.

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Sign-ups are open!

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 20:53:59 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

Sign-ups are now open.

(Please read the info post first - it covers everything you need to know!)

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Sign-Ups

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 19:47:54 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

( Key info )
( Requests )
( Offers )
( Dear Creator Letters )
( Matching )
( In the event a participant does not match )
( Assignments )
( Defaults, Pinch Hits, and a Request )

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Tag clarifications

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 16:40:27 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

The mods are doing some cleanup on the tagset, and we have a couple questions.

~~If you nominated Lady of the Blue Brooch, please let us know what fandom it was intended for? The association was lost. We think it's meant for LotR books.~~
If you nominated "Worldbuilding: Gandalf enlists Lobelia on the Quest instead of Gandalf" in the Hobbit book fandom please clarify to the mods what you intended? (We think it's meant to be "Gandalf enlists Lobelia on the Quest instead of Bilbo" but maybe we're not thinking far enough outside the original timeline?)
If you nominated the following under the Crossovers fandom, please clarify what you intended - these groups can be nominated under LotR books OR Silmarillion without requiring a crossover: Group: Arwen & Celebrimbor; Group: Celebrian & Celebrimbor; Group: Celebrimbor/Sauron (Crossover Fandom).

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Nominations Are Open!

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 19:40:20 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

The time has come to nominate!

Nominations are open to all, whether you plan to participate in Innumerable Stars or not. Please refresh your memory of the Nominations Information Post and make sure you are copy/pasting the names of the fandoms as stated in that post. Feel free to look through previous tagsets for inspiration and guidance, as well.

Nominations will close on Sunday, the 17th of August, at 8 PM UTC. That is a full two weeks, so there is plenty of time. You are able to nominate some tags, then save your nominations, and later go back in and nominate others, so you do not have to do it all at once. You can also edit nominations, until they have been approved.

Go forth and nominate!

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Promo Post Roundup

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:00:40 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

That's a wrap on the promo posts! In case you missed one, there is a full list below in the order they were posted.

Nominations will open Sunday, 03 August 2025, 8:00 PM UTC. Information on nominations may be found here. If you have questions for the mods about nominations, you can reach us here, on Tumblr, on Discord, or via email.

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The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun Promo Post

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 12:05:24 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by zdenka )

Summary The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is a set of two narrative poems by Tolkien based on stories from Norse mythology: Völsungakviða en nýja (The New Lay of the Völsungs) and Guðrúnarkviða en nýja (The New Lay of Gudrún). Despite their Norse titles, these poems are in English, composed in alliterative verse.

Like The Silmarillion, "The New Lay of the Völsungs" begins with the creation of the world. It then follows the descent of the legendary Völsung family, ending with Sigurd the Dragonslayer. The poem recounts Sigurd's heroic deeds and the complicated entanglements of oaths, love, and betrayal that develop between Sigurd, the former Valkyrie Brynhild, the warrior lord Gunnar, and Gunnar's sister Gudrún.

"The New Lay of Gudrún" continues the story of Gudrún after Sigurd's murder: her grief for Sigurd, her second marriage to Atli (a mythologized version of Attila the Hun), the trap Atli lays for Gudrún's brothers, and the terrible fate of Atli and Gudrún's children.

Why Should I Check Out This Canon? It's a dramatic story of heroism, torn loyalties, fate, love, and hatred! If you enjoy those themes in Tolkien's other works, you'll find them here too.

If you've enjoyed Norse myths or other versions of the Sigurd story, you might also like this one.

If you liked Tolkien's poetry in The Lord of the Rings or the Lays of Beleriand, here's another hoard of it. He makes writing alliterative verse look easy.

You also get a look at some of the sources for Tolkien's Middle-earth works. I don't mean only the plot elements that have been noted by many literary critics, such as the similarities of Túrin's dragon-slaying adventure to Sigurd's. Having these legends in Tolkien's own words can help show the connections he made in his own mind between Norse legend and his Legendarium. Taking just one stanza as an example:

The Gods gathered on golden thrones, of doom and death deeply pondered, how fate should be fended, their foes vanquished, their labour healed, light rekindled.

That sounds a lot like the Valar in the Silmarillion, doesn't it? And there are plenty more resemblances to find.

Where Can I Get This? Your local bookstore or library, or the Internet Archive.

What Fanworks Already Exist? There is one work in Russian on AO3, a fic cross-tagged with the Silmarillion; I don't know Russian, but it seems to be a darker take on the Beren and Lúthien story. (The AO3 tag is here.)

One work from b2mem here, a recording of four stanzas from "The New Lay of the Völsungs" set to music and sung. Full Disclosure: This one is by me.

In other words, if you want to create fanworks for this, the field is wide open!

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Which poems can be nominated in the Collected Poems fandom?

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:38:50 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Because Collected Poems includes many poems that appear in other books, and some of which are fandoms in their own right, we needed to make some decisions about which poems can be nominated in this particular fandom.

The general guideline we've gone by when selecting which are eligible in this fandom and which aren't is essentially: is the full text readily available in another book? For this, we have excluded publication in obscure or non-English sources, literary magazines, or in books that were published, generally speaking, more than forty years ago and are out of print.

If the full text of the poem can be found in another book, it should be nominated under that book. For instance, Princess Mee appears in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and so it should not be nominated under Collected Poems, but under The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.

A number of poems appear in The History of Middle-earth series, and should be nominated under The Book of Lost Tales or The Silmarillion, as appropriate. And of course any poem that appears in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings should be nominated in that fandom.

When nominating characters, character groups, or worldbuilding tags for Collected Poems, please try to ensure that you make clear which poem you are nominating for, as characters can appear across many different poems and so can worldbuilding concepts. For example, if you wanted to nominate the dragon from The Dragon's Visit, you should format the nomination like this: Dragon - The Dragon's Visit (Poems), with a dash between the character or character group and the name of the poem, followed by the fandom disambiguation in parentheses. If the poem is obvious from the character name or group, there's no need to add in the name of the poem, but please always disambiguate the fandom.

You can nominate real people in this fandom, for instance: Rosalind Ramage (Poems) or Group: JRR Tolkien & GB Smith - G.B.S (Poems).

You can also nominate characters and worldbuilding concepts that might appear in other fandoms in this fandom, for example: Worldbuilding: Earendel guiding ships to Valinor - Bilbo's Last Song (Poems) or Bilbo Baggins - Bilbo's Last Song (Poems).

If you have any questions, please ask and we will do our best to clarify. As this is the first year Collected Poems has been a fandom and it's a very complex one, we might not have all the kinks ironed out yet!

What follows is a list of all the poems in Collected Poems with a note of whether they are eligible or not, and if not, what fandom(s) they should be nominated under. This information can also be accessed in table format (thanks grundyscribbling) on Google Docs.

( All poems in Collected Poems... )

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The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien - Promo post

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 01:05:47 GMT

Posted by: hhimring

Summary:

The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien is an edition by Tolkien experts Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. It covers all the poetry Tolkien wrote in his lifetime, published and unpublished, poetry belonging to the Legendarium, early lyrics, humorous poetry for personal occasions, poetry translations, and all manner of verse in between, in several languages. That said, this edition does not include all the verse from Tolkien’s Legendarium. In fact, the most well-known longer poetic Legendarium texts and texts of the translations and adaptations are discussed here but published only in extract, as their full text was felt to be sufficiently available elsewhere. On the other hand, there are about seventy poems in this edition that were previously unpublished and about half a dozen that had not been fully published yet (counts vary here depending on criteria). In fandom, a particularly well-known example of a previously unavailable text is the English original of “The Complaint of Mîm the Dwarf”. Due to the earlier editing efforts of Christopher Tolkien, most of the new poems are not directly set within the Legendarium. However, there is previously unseen material on Doriath, the Children of Hurin, Gondolin and Scatha the Worm. There are also many poems that are adjacent to previously known work of Tolkien’s in different ways. All these poems are carefully edited, very often in multiple versions, with extensive commentary, throwing a great deal of light on Tolkien’s writing process and creative life.

Why should I check out this canon:

The Collected Poems are of interest from different angles, depending on your interests.

First, there are the previously unpublished poems or those that were previously published but difficult to find. These are a mixed bag and invite different approaches. You may wish to home in on the Legendarium poems and the details they add to the Legendarium and its development. You may wish to look at other new material and draw out connections with the Legendarium, of which there are plenty. Or you may prefer to look at some of these new poems simply in their own right. Some of them are funny, some invoke beautiful imagery, and some reflect movingly on their author. If you want to nominate any of these for Innumerable Stars, either by themselves or for crossovers, more detailed information and instructions are scheduled to follow tomorrow.

But also, beyond that, the volume has plenty to appeal to readers interested in Tolkien’s poetry. The history of many beloved poems is documented here in detail not seen before. Some information was already available in The History of Middle-earth (or in editorial prefaces) but Christopher Tolkien was mainly concerned with tracing the development of the Legendarium; here the poems’ history can be studied in their own right. You may find the different versions of such poems inspiring for Innumerable Stars, even if you will need to nominate the poem in question for a different canon than The Collected Poems.

Where can I get this? The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien was published in 2024 in three volumes as a hardcover by Harper Collins. You get a huge amount of meticulously edited text, but it really is an investment. An e-book version is available, but even the lower price of this may not be affordable for some budgets. If so, your best hope for the full edition will be the library. Some of the individual poems contained can, however, be found independently, in excerpts or in full. One of the most widely accessible poem texts is that of “Bilbo’s Last Song”, which has been published multiple times in different formats, illustrated and set to music. “The Complaint of Mîm the Dwarf” was first published in German and recently translated by @slightnettles into French for the JRRT Native Languages Fest on Tumblr.

What fanworks already exist?

The Collected Poems do not have a canonical tag shared tag on AO3 (yet). At the SWG Archive, there is an overlapping fandom tag “Tolkien’s Poetry.” Perhaps the most fannish responses so far have been to “The Complaint of Mîm the Dwarf”, which started drawing interest even when only a German translation was known. There is a tag used for “The Complaint of Mîm the Dwarf” on AO3 by the author Huorinde (8 works). Anerea’s moodboard for one of Huorinde’s fics appears above as image, with her permission. You may also want to check other differently tagged fanworks for Mîm, such as Lady Brooke’s “Once There Were Words”. Further, here is a drawing by @helyannis on Tumblr,

Some other individual poems have older fanworks, dating back to before 2024. Here is an older response to "Mythopoeia" by pandemonium_123. Here is an artwork for Bilbo’s Last Song by @mgcoco. There are two crossover responses to two poems by Kaylee Arafinwiel: here for “Mythopoeia” and here for “The Last Ark”. And, finally, my own drabble in response to the poem about Scatha in The Collected Poems is here.

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The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun Promo Post

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:17:00 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by narya_flame ; the moodboard is also Narya's work!)

Summary: A shorter, darker Tolkien text telling the tragic story of two doomed lovers, drawing on Breton myth and legend.

Why should I check out this canon? If you’re into oaths and bargains, questions of fate, courtly love, rules-lawyering, witchy women, magic, myth, tragedy, etymology, or Celtic folklore (and let’s face it, if you’re hanging out in the Tolkien fandom you probably like at least a few of those things!) then this poem may just be your discovery of the summer. You’re also getting several texts for the price of one – the main poem was published together with two earlier ‘Corrigan’ texts, which are full of darkly magical possibilities for the adventurous fan writer to explore.

Where can I get this? Since 2016 it’s been available as a standalone book edited by Verlyn Flieger – your local bookseller or public library should be able to order in a copy if they don’t have one already, and of course the usual online shopping platforms are available. There is also a copy available on the Internet Archive.

What fanworks already exist? At time of writing, there are 10 works on AO3.

Apologies, Narya - I didn't realize this one hadn't been cross-posted.

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Mr. Bliss Promo Post

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 12:06:42 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

Summary A children's tale following the adventures of Mr. Bliss, a man who likes tall hats and keeps a girabbit. The story is set in a time when purchasing a car for 5s 6d seemed reasonable (to children, at least.) J.R.R. Tolkien did all the illustrations for this tale himself.

Why should I check out this canon? Because you like Tolkien's illustrations. Because you are fascinated by the concept of the girabbit (half giraffe, half rabbit). Because you wish that you, too, could purchase a fully functional automobile for £13.95. Because Mr. Bliss's highway hijinks may or may not have been inspired by JRRT's own driving style. ("Charge 'em and they scatter!") Because you enjoy English village life that is somewhat less hazardous than Midsomer Murders. Because you like Bears.

Where can I get this? At the bookseller* or public library of your choice. If your local public library does not have it, copies are available to borrow from the Internet Archive.

*may be a special order

What fanworks already exist? There are currently 11 Mr. Bliss fanworks on AO3.

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Sir Orfeo Promo Post

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 20:38:58 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by narya_flame )

Summary: You may be familiar with the Greek myth of Orpheus, who entered the Underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back from death (and even if you don’t know it, you might be noticing similarities between a certain man and half-Maia of Silmarillion fame). ‘Sir Orfeo’ is a Middle English poem which relocates the story to England and weaves in elements of Celtic myth and folklore. Tolkien’s translation of the poem was published together with ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ and ‘Pearl’, plus his commentary on all three texts.

Why should I check out this canon? You’ll spot plenty of familiar Middle-earth motifs in this text; opportunities for crossover shenanigans are plentiful! There’s some fascinating stuff to play around with in terms of the nature of Faery (let’s just say the Otherworld depicted in this poem is a startling departure from the takes on Faery that we might be more familiar with these days – the perilous realm indeed). If you’re artistically inclined then there are some amazing scenes and images just crying out to be illustrated. It’s also a great text for examining how myths evolve over time and absorb influences of the cultures retelling them.

Where can I get this? Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, together with Pearl and Sir Orfeo was first published in 1975, so there are several editions available – try your preferred bookshop, online retailer, or public library. (If you feel like treating yourself, or someone else with a love of Tolkien or Medieval literature, there is an absolutely gorgeous 2020 hardcover edition complete with slip case.) The 1975 edition is available as a PDF on the Internet Archive.

What fanworks already exist? There are currently 5 works on AO3.

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Book of Lost Tales Promo Post

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 23:25:38 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by dawn_felagund )

Summary: Tolkien began writing the "Silmarillion" as a young man in the trenches of World War I. The Book of Lost Tales are the stories he penned during this period of his life and represent his earliest work on the "Silmarillion." Many of the familiar tales are already present in their early form: the cosmic conflict between the Valar and Melkor, the tale of Beren and Lúthien, and the Fall of Gondolin, to name just three. These stories are embedded in a frame narrative where the Anglo-Saxon mariner Eriol ends up visiting Eressëa and hearing a series of stories from the Elven residents there. The Lost Tales were never finished in their entirety, so while some of the early stories are complete, others are fragmentary or just outlines. Each tale is accompanied by commentary from Christopher Tolkien, who edited the collection.

Why Should I Check Out This Canon? The Lost Tales are recognizably "Silmarillion" stories, yet they differ greatly in style and tone from Tolkien's later work. They are more whimsical and more like the Victorian fairy-stories that Tolkien later denigrated. Magical elements abound, and the texts are more playful than the more sober "Silmarillion" texts Tolkien would write in the decades to come. In addition, they contain copious detail, especially about the Valar and Maiar, their homes in Valinor, and their adventures against Melkor.

For creators who work with the published Silmarillion, the Lost Tales can provide canon details that expand what is available in The Silmarillion (Nienna lives in a hall constructed of bat wings!) or deviate from it in surprising and delightful ways (Sauron is the prince of cats!)

Where Can I Get This? The Book of Lost Tales comprise the first two volumes of the History of Middle-earth series. They are available as both print and ebooks. For a reader not up for two volumes of sometimes dense reading, individual stories stand well on their own.

What Fanworks Already Exist? There is no tag on AO3 specifically for The Book of Lost Tales. Creators use several different Tolkien tags to mark these works. On AO3, you may have luck finding Lost Tales fanworks here. The #book of lost tales tag on Tumblr has more fanworks.

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Sellic Spell Promo Post

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 11:37:50 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(Written by narya_flame )

Summary: Sellic Spell ('strange tale', 'wondrous tale') is a short prose tale which attempts to reconstruct the folk story behind Beowulf, and also draws inspiration from the Norse Hrólfs saga kraka. It mostly follows the plot of Beowulf, up to the death of Grendel's mother.

Why should I check out this canon? If you're a fan of folk tales and fairy stories, and/or you're interested in Beowulf and Tolkien's responses to that text, this one is for you! It has magic and horror, heroism and treachery, treasure and monsters, and can be read and enjoyed on its own merits, whether you're familiar with the source material or not. For the linguistically minded, the 2016 edition of Tolkien's Beowulf also includes the Old English version of the tale - and if your comfort zone is the Middle-earth legendarium, there are plenty of little links you'll pick up on as you read.

Where can I get this? The manuscript is held at the Bodleian library, but for those of us who can't access the Oxford special collections, it was published in 2016 alongside Tolkien's translation of Beowulf. It's also available as a free PDF courtesy of the Internet Archive.

What fanworks already exist? At the moment there are three fanworks on AO3 - a drabble from the point of view of the Queen of the Golden Hall, an encounter between the Queen and Grinder's mother, and a crossover with The Hobbit which blends the tale with the history of the Beornings.

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Leaf By Niggle Promo Post

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:03:02 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Summary

Have you ever really really wanted to just be working on your fanfiction or fanart but instead you have some mundane life stuff like working at a job and keeping on top of your housecleaning that you have to do, and you just absolutely resent it? Well, then you’ll know how Niggle feels. He’s always thinking about his art, but he’s got duties to attend to, a neighbour who needs help, and a Journey to go on.

Why Should I Check Out This Canon?

This short story, a rare attempt at allegory from professed allegory-hater JRR Tolkien, is a touching and heartfelt look at the way that inspiration and duty clash, finding friendship in unlikely places, the joy of creation, and the unknown impact that what a person makes can have. It’s very Catholic in some ways but is overall a heartwarming and beautiful little story with some very funny bits. There’s also shipping potential!

Where Can I Get This?

Available either on its own or as part of the compilations Tree and Leaf or Tales from the Perilous Realm wherever books are generally sold. It is also available as an audiobook narrated by Derek Jacobi. Leaf By Niggle can also be found in the Internet Archive’s copy of Tales from the Perilous Realm.

What Fanworks Already Exist?

There are 7 fanworks archived at AO3. I was only able to find a few pieces of fanart (such as this rendering of Leaf, by Niggle)when I looked around; this canon is about an artist, and has incredibly evocative imagery. As such, it definitely needs more fanart!

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Farmer Giles of Ham Promo Post

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:08:22 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Summary

Farmer Giles is a simple soul in a world of clever dragons, arrogant kings, fancy knights, and massive giants. He has his blunderbuss and he has his dog, and that’s good enough for him. This is the story of how an unlikely farmer becomes the Darling of the Land, complete with wordplay, an overabundance of names, and a legendary sword.

Why Should I Check Out This Canon?

Farmer Giles of Ham is a very funny and witty short story with a dragon to rival Smaug in Chrysophylax Dives, a very silly dog named Garm, and a pun to cap the whole thing off. If you’ve ever wondered why the river Thames is spelled like that but pronounced like Tames, this story provides one explanation for you!

There is potential for some fun stories involving worldbuilding, gapfillers, or further adventures, or art depicting the dragon, the dog, Farmer Giles himself, or the landscapes.

Where Can I Get This?

Farmer Giles of Ham is available for purchase as a book on its own, or as part of Tales from the Perilous Realm or The Tolkien Reader. It is also online as part of the Internet Archive’s copy of Tales from the Perilous Realm.

What Fanworks Already Exist?

There are currently 4 fanworks available on AO3. There is also some fanart to be found, such as this one of the Mock Dragon's Tail at the Christmas Feast.

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The New Shadow Promo Post

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:41:27 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by zorbo_jorks )

Summary: The New Shadow is an unfinished manuscript for a sequel to Lord of the Rings, published in The Peoples of Middle Earth (ch. 10). Tolkien only ever wrote 12 pages for the sequel, detailing a scene between Borlas and Saelon, two men of Gondor living in Minas Tirith in 220 F.A., well into the reign of King Eldarion. Borlas meets Saelon, who is a friend of the former’s son, and they discuss an orc cult that has begun to grow in popularity in recent years. Tolkien is stated to not have finished the story because he felt that plunging Middle Earth back into a “dark era” after the war of the ring didn’t match the ethos of the work preceding it (but personally, I would have liked to see where he took the idea!).

Why should I check out this canon? Though it was abandoned by Tolkien, there are some very interesting bits of worldbuilding in The New Shadow that aren't really in other Legendarium texts, including orc cults and development of Gondorian society after the reign of Elessar! There is also some great potential for Human and Orc OCs, and exploring the longer-term aftermath of The War of the Ring.

Where can I get this? It is published as chapter 16 of The Peoples of Middle Earth (part 4), which you can source through:

Open Library (Locating editions of The Peoples of Middle Earth in libraries, NOT a downloadable copy): https://openlibrary.org/books/OL1004582M/The_peoples_of_Middle-earth
The New Shadow on Anna’s Archive (multiple download options): https://annas-archive.org/md5/65101150733a877c69596839c65c1099
Synopsis on Tolkien Gateway: https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_New_Shadow

What fanworks exist already?

There is no specific tag on AO3, but there are 7 works that contain the characters specific to TNS (you can find them by searching character tags for Borlas and/or Saelon). Of those works, most seem to be fannish takes on a continuation of TNS, or Post-War of the Ring AUs in which they simply appear. These fics appear under an assortment of General Tolkien fandom tags, including “The Lord of the Rings – All Media Types” and “TOLKIEN, J. R. R. – Works & Related Fandoms”.
There is 1 fic on FFN featuring Borlas and Eldarion (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12684653/1/The-Beginnings).
Unsure about fic posted elsewhere, but my assumption is that it is just as scant.

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Nominations

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:02:33 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

There are two phases of the exchange before matching happens and assignments go out. The first phase is nominations, the second is sign-ups. Nominations are how we assemble the tagset for the exchange - in other words, the options people can request or offer when they sign up.

Nominations

Whether you're firmly planning on participating, not sure if you'll sign up, or just lurking but hoping to see particular elements in fanworks in the collection, you are invited to nominate.

The only requirement to nominate is that you have an AO3 account. (If you do not have an AO3 account and would like to create one so you can participate, let the mods know if you need an invite code.)

You may nominate up to 20 fandoms, with a maximum of 10 character tags and 10 worldbuilding tags per fandom.
When nominating, please copy and paste the fandom names from the list below. We use several fandoms that are not canonical in the AO3 sense, and AO3 is very precise about tags. (Extra spaces and en-dash vs em-dash have been issues in past rounds.)
Do not accept suggestions from AO3 about fandom names - use the names and abbreviations given in the list at the end of this post.
Check the tagset before nominating to be sure your character or group has not already been nominated! AO3 will not allow exact duplicates, but it also will not warn you if you are repeating an existing nomination in a slightly different form. We do our best to approve tags quickly, so the tag list will generally be up to date.
There are two types of tags you can nominate, Character and Worldbuilding. Please read the explanations below before nominating to ensure your nominations are accepted!

( Character Nominations )
( Fandoms )
( Example Character Nominations )
( Worldbuilding Nominations )
( Previous Tagsets )
( Fandoms List )

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The Fall of Arthur Promo Post

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 22:36:16 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(Written by hhimring )

Summary: The Fall of Arthur is a narrative poem in alliterative metre by Tolkien. It takes elements from different Arthurian works and sources and recombines them in a way that is all Tolkien's own. As the title says, the subject is the collapse of Arthur's rule through betrayal and his death. It is not complete but reached quite a fair length (a bit less than 1000 lines, in 5 cantos), and there are some of Tolkien's working notes for the unwritten end included in the edition.

Why should I check out this canon: As a kind of crossover, this work is likely to be especially interesting to those who have an interest in Arthur, Gawain, and the other Arthurian characters more generally. Tolkien is partly inspired by some less well-known medieval sources, so it may be a fresh angle on Arthurian lore to readers for that reason, too. Particularly interesting and original is the complex shading of Tolkien's portrait of Guinevere. The work will also appeal to those who like Tolkien's other narrative poems or read works in modern alliterative verse. There is some great storm imagery and description in there, for instance. The piece is also interesting as demonstrating one of the sources of inspiration for Tolkien that have received less attention than the Germanic tradition. The poem could both inspire further Arthuriana and crossovers with Tolkien’s non-Arthurian works.

Where can I get this? This is one of the lesser-known works of Tolkien, partly because it was published quite late, even though its existence was known much earlier. The text is available in a hardcover edition, with a significant amount of supplementary material for those who wish to delve deeper. An electronic copy of this is also available on the Internet Archive to those with print disabilities. It is also possible to get a taster by hunting down some substantial quotations online, as the online reviews that appeared on its publication tend to do a fair amount of quoting.

What fanworks already exist?

There are currently six works in the AO3 tag, of which four are crossovers with other Tolkien works (one is a poem) and one is a moodboard.

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War of the Rohirrim Promo Post

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 12:28:20 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by ridingforrohan )

Summary: War of the Rohirrim is a 2024 animated movie covering the events that led to the transition from the first to the second line of Rohan's kings. The movie covers some of the events briefly summarized in Appendix A of Return of the King. This story explores the conflict between Rohan and Dunland, gives us a glimpse into Rohan's history told as an epic tale, and gives us a cast of compelling characters. It's a tale of dark times, love and loyalty, and of hope. Despite being animated it ties back to the Jackson Trilogy with visuals and musical themes that have a nostalgic feel. The design choices really feel authentically connected to the Rohan we know from the live action movies and Miranda Otto reprises her role as Éowyn to narrate the tale as if recounting it to her own children. While not perfectly faithful to the book, the changes make narrative sense and overall the story feels at home in Middle Earth. The movie leaves lots of questions unanswered and plenty of room for fan authors to fill in details and humanize the characters by fleshing them out a bit more.

Why should I check out this canon?

For starters the character design is stunning. Héra, her brothers and cousin are incredibly easy on the eyes (and ready to be shipped with your OC). The line of Eorl certainly delivers on looks. The animation is fun, if you can forgive some rather clunky looking horses. I feel like it helps lend to the separation from the characters that helps the story feel like one being told and not being seen. Meanwhile the sound design is spectacular, with a new score that thoughtfully integrates themes from the live action movies. It's a fast paced adventure that packs a lot of action and sentiment into a 2 hour and 15 minute run time. Even if you are skeptical of the anime format, I think the story is worth your time.

Where can I get this?

War of the Rohirrim is available to stream on HBO Max, and can be bought digitally or hardcopy wherever media is sold online. The first 10 minutes can be watched for free on Youtube here.

What fanworks already exist?

At the time of this posting there are 98 works for the fandom on AO3 with some active long fics and a wide range of ratings. The story leaves a lot of room for interpretation, many opportunities for fix it fics, and so much more. There is also some fanart to be found under the War of the Rohirrim tag on Tumblr (including mine of Fréaláf, seen above)! I adore this fandom and would love to see more people engaged.

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Pearl Promo Post

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:45:22 GMT

Posted by: grundyscribbling

(written by narya_flame )

Summary: Like Sir Orfeo and Sir Gawain, this is a late Middle English poem (written in a North-West Midlands dialect of Middle English). A grieving father experiences a dream-vision of a beautiful maiden. She tries to explain the glories of heaven to him, but he cannot comprehend them, and on trying to join her, he wakes up. He is left consoled and reflecting on his faith.

Tolkien encountered the poem as a student, and both taught and translated it as a scholar. Its elegiac tone will feel familiar to fans of Tolkien’s work, and while the text itself is dense, it’s well worth reading, re-reading and unpacking.

Why should I check out this canon: If you’re interested in the texts Tolkien read and absorbed, and how they shaped the tone and content of his mythology, this is definitely one for your list. It’s is a smaller, more reflective Tolkien text: there's no cast of thousands, no epic adventures, but still plenty to explore. Who sent the Dream Vision? Who is the Pearl Poet – are they also the Gawain poet, or are they someone else? Is the poem an elegy, an allegory, both? Something completely different? Where is the Pearl-maiden, what is her name, and what are the circumstances where the boundaries between life and death might thin to allow for communication?

I think this text lends itself beautifully to unusual fanwork formats, so if that’s your thing, definitely get hold of a copy! You could potentially go for some in-universe meta here (people much brighter than me have pointed out that part of the poem reads like a lapidary). For art, you could try out something like a medieval illumination, or an illustration in the style of a stained glass window - or calligraphy of a passage you particularly like. If you’re into the idea of Middle-earth crossovers, there’s plenty of pearl imagery in the legendarium to provide you with links, from Alqualondë to the Sleeper in the Tower of Pearl (some online scholars have even found connections between the narrator and Gollum!)

Where can I get this?Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, together with Pearl and Sir Orfeo was first published in 1975, so there are several editions available – try your preferred bookshop, online retailer, or public library. The 1975 edition is available as a PDF on the Internet Archive. There is also a free copy of Tolkien's translation on Allpoetry.com.

What fanworks already exist? None that I could find! You could be first!

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Born of Hope Promo Post

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:29:49 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Summary:

Born of Hope is a fan film from the UK, directed and produced by the same team that created The Hunt for Gollum, and was released in 2009. This film covers the circumstances of Gilraen and Arathorn's marriage and the early childhood of Aragorn. It is a canon-accurate story, also including some original characters and events.

Why should I check out this canon?

Are you interested in Aragorn, Gilraen, or the Dúnedain of the North before the events of The Lord of the Rings? Would you be intrigued by the idea of a female Ranger fighting alongside Arathorn? In addition to imbuing the characters of Gilraen, Arathorn, Arador, Dirhael, and Ivorwen with personality and life, this film also introduces us to several interesting original characters such as Elgarain, a friend and fellow Ranger with Arathorn, Dirhaborn, another Ranger who loves her, Halbarad's parents, several others who live in the small village of Taurdal, and a number of Orcs who are clearly having a great deal of fun with their roles. We also get to briefly see Elladan and Elrohir!

This 70-minute film, though it is clearly a fan film, is written and produced with a lot of love and heart. The story is interesting, the acting is very good, and the action feels realistic. I very much recommend it and have watched it several times. Born of Hope won the 2010 London Independent Film Festival award for 'Best Micro-Budget Film.'

Where can I get this?

Born of Hope is available for free on YouTube from Independent Online Cinema.

What fanworks already exist?

There are 10 works so far on AO3 for this fandom, many of them centred around Elgarain and her experiences, some set before the events of the film, and some which are canon-divergence.

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The Hunt for Gollum Promo Post

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:34:35 GMT

Posted by: elwinfortuna

Summary

The Hunt for Gollum is a fan film from the UK, directed and produced by the same team that created Born of Hope, and released in 2009. This 40 minute film covers events from the LOTR appendices about Aragorn's search for and capture of Gollum. Please note this has nothing whatsoever to do with the forthcoming film(s) from Peter Jackson entitled The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.

Why Should I Check Out This Canon?

It fleshes out an aspect of the story we only really hear about in passing, adds some fun additional original characters that would be enjoyable to hear more about, and gives a new perspective on Aragorn.

Where Can I Get This?

It's available on YouTube here: The Hunt for Gollum. Please note that this is a version uploaded in 2019 with improved audio and a slightly different edit to the original.

What Fanworks Already Exist?

None yet! You could be the first! Although there are a few fanworks depicting this event based on the LOTR books or movies, there is nothing dealing with events as portrayed in this short film.

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