In an ambitious endeavor combining classic literature with modern technology, Middle-earth Enterprises today unveiled Bridging the Ages, an innovative initiative that employs a cutting-edge AI system—codenamed Silmadur—to compose new narratives and expand upon the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Drawing on decades of fan curiosity and meticulously sourced Tolkien archives, Silmadur’s mission is to fill the long-surmised gaps in Middle-earth lore, while offering subtle, modernized readings of the original texts.
To create Silmadur, a specialized team of Tolkien scholars, archivists—including staff from TheOneRing.net—and AI experts spent two years assembling a comprehensive digital library of source materials. The dataset encompasses The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, as well as early drafts, marginalia, personal letters, lecture notes, and lesser-known writings. Previously unreleased texts, once locked away in private collections, were added alongside appendices, genealogical charts, and decades’ worth of fan analyses. By drawing on this extensive treasury, the developers aimed to ensure that Silmadur faithfully mirrors the depth and tone of Tolkien’s original vision when crafting new passages.
EXCERPT 1: “At sunrise, a solitary figure stood at the borders of Fangorn, holding a single bloom of yellow niphredil. Some say it was Quickbeam himself, tending a secret garden of the Entwives—at last discovered across the river.” – Silmadur’s ‘lost chapter’ on the fate of the Entwives
“Our hope is to illuminate corners of the legendarium that Tolkien left tantalizingly unexplored,” says Thomas Cressman, a representative for Middle-earth Enterprises. “From the lost lineages of Elven lords to passing mentions of vanished cities, there are countless threads, begging to be woven into a fuller tapestry.”
The Bridging the Ages initiative also involves creating “light-touch” revisions to Tolkien’s original texts—expanding genealogies, clarifying linguistic nuances, and elaborating on references left intentionally vague. The team insists that all of this respects Tolkien’s style while carefully modernizing certain language choices.
EXCERPT 2: “In a letter addressed to Aragorn, just days after the coronation, Éowyn recounted how dreams of the Witch-king’s final shriek still haunted her… until Faramir reminded her that courage can live on beyond fear, lighting a path through any darkness.” – Silmadur’s exploration of Éowyn and Faramir’s early marriage
“Far too often, fans get locked into gatekeeping over what can and can’t be done with these stories,” reflects Calisuri, co-owner and co-founder of TheOneRing.net. “We live in an age of creativity and technology—why not use an advanced AI trained on the entire Tolkien corpus to bring hidden narratives to light? It’s not about replacing the original texts – nothing will ever do that – but about enriching them for a new generation of readers.”
While Bridging the Ages and Silmadur remain in early development, those involved hinted that future plans include an AI-generated supplement to The Silmarillion—complete with newly “unearthed” letters between legendary Elven figures—and additional chapters that reach beyond the conclusion of The Lord of the Rings. Middle-earth Enterprises will share select previews of these expansions exclusively on TheOneRing.net in the months ahead.
For more details on this evolving project, and for a first look at Silmadur’s creations, stay tuned to TheOneRing.net. Additional updates, including genealogical diagrams and in-depth explorations of minor characters, are expected soon.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our poetry feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. So come and join us by the hearth, and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
The Ride of Dernhelm
by: J Houdart
Across the sea of golden-grassed plain Sails Windfola, swift, bearing two without name In day yet darkened by menace unspoken Gentler lies are soon to be broken As on with the company, racing toward doom At the walls of yon city, be-circled with gloom Dernhelm the Silent keeps hidden his face But hides not his passion, his strength and fell grace.
To War! beats his heart, to Death! sings his sword But rides he in silence, without leave of his lord. Cloak-hidden, shadow-ridden he takes all care to be For the secret he keeps, his brothers must not see That secret he holds and another he bears Before him on Windfola: a small hobbit shares His duty and destiny, to great deeds they are called Upon Pelennor’s vast field before the prize thus high-walled.
For there in that doom a dark Power lay, waiting and coiled, whom no man can slay. How then can this man, fierce and strong though he be Strike true? End the terror? Make the walled city free?But that deed will soon come. Two wounds will be wrought One by hobbit, brave and true, a man and yet not And Dernhelm the Silent will give voice at last Striking true, Death banished back into the Past.
At great cost, that blow giv’n, yet hope will remain For the hero to sing and ride out free again But proud, hair unbound, laughter ringing and strong For the secret is done, surprise mingled with song As his helm is then moved, and his kinsmen find there True hero yet no brother: Eowyn the Fair.
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Untitled
by: A Plume Cox
Your shields break beneath our blade We invade your sacred home Prepare to be crushed by our one crusade As we move along and roam. You call this land the southlands Now hear our volcano roar In the end you will not stand In the new land Mordor. Here the orcs roam all free In the fiery dark land Any human, elf or dwarf who enters will have to flea Or be scorched by Sauron’s hand.
As you no doubt know, March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day – a tradition begun by The Tolkien Society in 2003. Not that we need any excuse to celebrate the works and worlds of the Professor! But on Reading Day – and the days around it – there are often special events. And this year is no exception!
You may recall that last year, composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells (the creator of the Long-expected Soundscape: music and ambient sounds to create a world around you, as you read The Lord of the Rings) teamed up with ArdaCraft to bring us a live stream event, where parts of The Fellowship of the Ring were read over the corresponding chapters of the Soundscape. This year, Rannells is doing it again!
On Sunday 23rd March you can listen along to readings from The Return of the King, surrounded by ambient sound – immerse yourself in Middle-earth! Enjoy readings from folks such as artist Ted Nasmith, composer Stephen Gallagher, and TORn’s own Quickbeam and greendragon – plus a whole host of familiar faces and wonderful folks from the fandom.
The whole thing kicks off at 12pm EST on Sunday, and you can find it here. Set your calendar – get ready to spend the day in Middle-earth!
