Are you excited to enter the Mines of Moria ? Well, while you wait you can check out these new screenshots that were released by Turbine today of Redhorn Lodes, a new area in the expansion. The area looks massive, with huge pillars and stairways literally dwarfing (pun intended, sorry) any dwarf or hobbit who enters it.

All of the images can be viewed in our screenshot gallery . Also, don't forget to discuss the expansion in our forum .

Mines of Moria will introduce two new classes, the Rune-keeper and the Warden, as well as Legendary Items. The level cap will also be raised to 60.

Lord of the Rings Online fans received a pleasant surprise in their e-mail inboxes today as Turbine announced in their September newsletter that players will enjoy +25% bonus experience boost from Oct. 2-6. This event is to get characters ready for the upcoming Mines of Moria expansion, and also coincides with the Harvest Festival , which runs until Oct. 12.

In addition, a community manager posted on the official LotRO message board that Oct. 2-6 will also be "Welcome Back Weekend," which grants free access to returning Lord of the Rings players. If you left LotRO and want to get your old character back, now's the time to do it for free with an XP bonus, to boot.

As summer ends and the leaves begin to change color in the real world, an exciting event will be welcoming autumn in Middle-earth. That's right, the Harvest Festival is back and will run until Oct. 12., so make sure to take some time out from slaying beasts to pick some pumpkins, bob for apples and relax with your friends in the Shire.

New screenshots for Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria , the game’s first expansion, were released today by Turbine , and they showcase a variety of creatures located in the “Foundations of Stone” area that are just waiting to be slaughtered by daring adventurers.

Turbine boasts that the expansion is "the largest and most dangerous online underground environment ever created," and these screenshots seem to attest to that fact. Eyeless beasts, giant spiders and blade-wielding monsters are shown in intricate detail in various caverns, giving a "survival horror" vibe to the area.

Check out all of the screenshots here and discuss them, along with the expansion, in our forums .

Turbine released eight new screenshots from the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria expansion pack. These new screenshots depict two new classes that are being added to the game: the Warden and the Rune-Keeper.

Mines of Moria, which is tenitively scheduled to ship around the middle of November -- promises to be every bit as enjoyable as the original content. Check out these new screenshots and let us know what you think in our forums.