Friends, hobbits, countrymen - lend me your ears. Codemasters and Turbine Inc have just unveiled the second volume of their epic, The Lord of the Rings Online.

Announced in J.R.R. Tolkein's hometown of Birmingham, The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria is set to expand the online Middle-earth, so players may explore ancient underground cities of the dwarves, face off with the Watcher, be part of the historic release of Durin's Bane, and battle epic characters deep below the ground. Mines of Moria is due to open in the middle of the year, bringing with it two new classes, an increased level cap, and the introduction of a brand new item advancement system.

Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc explains:

"The Mines of Moria is one of the most epic settings in all of fantasy fiction. No one delivers more quality content than Turbine and with our journey into Moria, we will raise the bar even higher. We are adding vast amounts of content, debuting massive new environments and unveiling numerous unique feature sets, like item advancement, which will create entirely new dimensions of compelling game play and social interaction which are unique to The Lord of the Rings Online experience."

It has also been announced that everyone will be given the chance to unlock the Mines of Moria by visiting www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com when the website is launched. Learn more about the mines and their history, and visitors will also be able to play special mini-games, released periodically over the next few months before the game is released. By taking part, certain players may unlock exclusive previews, assets and even special in-game items that will be useful when the doors are opened and players stream into Mines of Moria later this year.

NEW FEATURES:

* Speak Friend, and Enter – Moria, called Khazad-dûm by the dwarves, was their capital and the grandest of cities. This enormous underground cavern in north-western Middle-earth, comprises an immense network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls that run beneath and ultimately through the Misty Mountains. For the first time, players of The Lord of the Rings Online will enter this ancient city which has served as the foundation for the modern-day dungeon-crawling adventures to battle the hordes of goblins and the Nameless of the Deep and journey through hundreds of new quests within six new kinds of stunning environments.
* The Epic Continues! — The Mines of Moria represents the beginning of Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can experience six new books as part of this update and participate in the release of Durin's Bane, battle the Watcher, aid Galadriel and more!
* Increased Level Cap — Players will be able advance their characters up to level 60, gaining access to new traits, virtues, skills and class quests. The crafting system will also expand, giving players the ability to craft even more powerful items.
* Discover Two New Classes — The Rune-keeper and the Warden, the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game, allow players to build exciting and powerful new characters in The Lord of the Rings Online in diverse new ways.
* Forge Legendary Items – The Mines of Moria will introduce Turbine's new item advancement system to The Lord of the Rings Online. Players will be able to forge weapons and class-related equipment and evolve them to build a legacy the likes of Bilbo's Sting and Gandalf's Glamdring. These legendary weapons will level-up along with the player, allowing customization by advancing the item's virtues, adding runic legacies, modifying its titles and forming fables.

Mines of Moria is the first expansion to last year's award-winning MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. Finally, the familiar world of Middle-earth is brought to live in an interactive experience, bursting at the seams with all the favourite places, monsters and even characters from Tolkein's well-loved books. Experience Middle-earth as never before, taking in the sights of the picturesque surroundings of the Shire, and now delving further into the depths of Moria, the great underground realm.

Information on the title's still pretty slim, but as soon as we hear anything, we'll share, my preciousss.