Mines of Moria will enable players to explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves and more.

The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar screenshot

Codemasters Online and Turbine have today unveiled the first retail expansion for its massively multiplayer online game, The Lord of the Rings Online. Titled Mines of Moria, the expansion promises to expand the online world, enabling players to explore the ancient underground cities of the dwarves, battle epic characters in the depths, face off with the Watcher, be a part of the release of Durin's Bane and more!

The expansion will also see the level cap increased to 60, gaining access to new traits, virtues and class quests. The crafting system will also be expanded enabling the creation of more powerful items.

Also introduced will be two new classes: the Rune Keeper and the Warden. These are the first new classes to be introduced since the launch of the game. Players can also look forward to the new item advancement system, enabling players to forge weapons and class-related equipment, and evolve them to build a legacy the likes of Bilbo's Sting and Gandalf's Glamdring.

"The Mines of Moria is one of the most epic settings in all of fantasy fiction," said Jim Crowley, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "No one delivers more quality content than Turbine and with our journey into Moria, we will raise the bar even higher."

The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria is scheduled for release this autumn.