Scheduled Maintenance: Monday, October 8th

The LOTRO Game Servers and http://myaccount.turbine.com will be offline for maintenance on Monday, October 8th from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT). The forums and wikis will remain up, but players may not be able to log in. Thanks for your patience, and we'll see you back in the game soon!

Cast of The Hobbit interviewed by Entertainment Weekly Comic Con

Entertainment Weekly at Comic Con 2012 sat down with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gollum (Andy Serkis), Peter Jackson, and Philippa Boyens to discuss the experiences of entering Middle-Earth once again; what it's like working with new crew members; and how the writers will essentially split Tolkien's book, The Hobbit, into multiple parts.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters December 14th, 2012

The Lord of the Rings in Concert: The Bridge of Khazad Dum

This scene where the Fellowship must cross the bridge of Khazad Dum to escape the Misty Mountains from the attacking goblins was, in and of itself, a powerful theatrical scene in which we lose Gandalf the Grey. It is even more powerful seeing the same scene but in a LIVE performance. 
I'll be honest, I just about lost it at the 6:23 mark. It is that good!

Lord of the Rings - Lament for Gandalf

Pippin's Song: Edge of the Night

Annie Lennox "Into The West"

What This World Needs Now Is More Middle-Earth!

"The world has changed. I feel it in the water, I feel it into the earth, I smell it in the air. Much of once was is lost. For none now live to remember it"

The Lord of the Rings couldn't of come at a better time. Nerds from all over the world joyously celebrated the release of the big screen adaptation to the all time greatest fantasy stories humanity has ever seen in celluloid form. While some, who were coping with the loss of loved one's, eagerly escaped, if not temporarily, the tragedy that changed the world forever.

Everyone remembers that time. Sadness, grief, anger. The future looked bleak, at best, and the only thing hitting the airwaves on both radio and television was the tragedy of the World Trade Center. The beacon for the world was at a loss. Where do we go from here?

LOTRO Store Sales 10/5-11

GSDB11

Click here for the LOTRO Store Coupon Guide

Expansion Quests

Choose a LOTRO Expansion Quest from the LOTRO Store and continue the journey to defeat the endless evil that runs rampant through Middle-earth! Moria: Over 350 quests, seven full fellowship instances (Dark Delvings, Fil Gashan, Skûmfil, The Sixteenth Hall, The Forges of Khazad-dûm, The Grand Stair, and The Forgotten Treasury), and two 12-person raids (Dâr Narbugud and The Vile Maw) for levels 51 – 60 Mirkwood: Over 150 quests, 3 three-person instances (Dungeons of Dol Guldur, Sword-hall of Dol Guldur, Warg-pens of Dol Guldur), one full fellowship instance (Sammath Gûl), and one 12-person raid (Barad Guldur) for levels 61 – 65 Isengard: Over 375 quests and over 40 deeds for levels 66-75

Accounts → Quests & Content → Expansions

51+

695-1,995 556-1,596

+20% Monster and Quest XP (3 hrs)

Get more for your monsters with a 20% bonus to experience earned from killing monsters and completing quests! This effect will last for 3 hours. Single and 5-stacks available.

Buffs & Boosts → Advancement → XP

All

95-425 76-340

Enhanced XP Supply

Increase your enhanced experience supply and battle on! Enhanced XP Supply is displayed as a blue section of your experience bar, and does not have a time-limit. Even stacks with other XP Boosts. Single and 10-stacks available.

Buffs & Boosts → Advancement → XP

7+

75-600 60-480

Derudh's Stone

Get more credit for your kills! Use this permanent pocket item to grant your character a +25% bonus experience towards monster kills when equipped. This item binds to your character when equipped. Note: Players who purchased the Rise of Isengard Pre-Order automatically receive this item on all characters, and should not buy it.

Buffs & Boosts → Advancement → XP

Up To Level 65

995 796

Task: Reset Daily Count

Get back to work! Return your daily task count to 0, allowing you to complete your full daily complement of tasks again! Purchasing this item will create an item in your inventory, which you will have to use to reset your daily tasks.

Character → Tasks

2+

100 80

Increase Task Limit

Expand your horizons! Permanently increase the number of tasks that you can complete in any given day by one. You can never move beyond a maximum of fifteen tasks daily. 5 increases available for sale in the LOTRO Store!

Character → Tasks

8+

150-250 120-200

The Hobbit Extended Edition DVD Announced!

Warner Brothers, celebrating they're 90th Anniversary, disclosed surprising information of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition DVD and Blu-Ray already ear-marked for Q4 of 2013.

Undoubtedly, the studio exec's at Warner are brimming with excitement, along side Tolkien fans, about the movie expectantly being HUGELY! successful.

December can't come soon enough!

[*UPDATE*] Riders of Rohan Soundtrack Revealed via Facebook

[UPDATE] Lord of the Rings Online is currently looking into distribution methods to get the official Riders of  Rohan soundtrack to the masses. In the meantime, plan on giving away signed copies in the future?

"We're working on distribution methods and we'll keep you informed of when and how you can purchase it. In the meantime we intend to give some of these away... just as soon as we get Chance himself to sign them for you guys."

So, keep your eyes peeled over at the official Lord of the Rings Online facebook page for upcoming details. 

“Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate
And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run West of the Moon,
East of the Sun.” 

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Lore-master Mounted Combat Demonstation

PineleafNeedles, best known for his detailed guides for Casual Stroll to Mordor, released a demonstration video of Lore-Master Mounted Combat. How will this new ability change the way we play Lord of the Rings Online? Learn more by clicking the video below. 

LOTRO Community Update October 2, 2012

"LOTRO Legacy" by Chance Thomas

Riders of Rohan Soundtrack Revealed via Facebook

It's official! The Lord of the Rings Online soundtrack from Warner Bros./Turbine has been revealed to the masses that, at first site, has brought players to their knees in excitement via Facebook.

The original soundtrack was full of beauty and wonder that matched perfectly what Tolkien and Peter Jackson created in their respective works of The Lord of the Rings. 

Now that we've seen it's real, when can we get a copy?! As of this writing, there is no word - yet - as to when we can get our little Hobbit hands on this precious gem. Pun TOTALLY intended.
Hopefully soon!

Who Is J.R.R Tolkien? (Documentary)

Who is John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and why is he such an influence in today's media? One word - imagination.

The Contract of Bilbo Baggins - Replica Revealed

Weta Workshop has outdone themselves, yet again, with the release of The Contract of Bilbo Baggins - prop replica from the soon to be released theatrical adaptation of The Hobbit.

Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Playing Smaug in The Hobbit *Spoilers!*

British movie publication, Total Film, had a sit down chat with Benedict Cumberbatch, the voice of Smaug, Dragon of Erebor, in the most anticipated Peter Jackson film of 2012 Holiday season, The Hobbit.

"Chip the glasses and crack the plates!   
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates--   
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!   
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!   
Splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;   
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you've finished, if any are whole,   
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
So, carefully! carefully with the plates!"

- J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit

"Rivendell" - Works of Allen Lee

Battlelore - Sons of Riddermark

Considered "Epic Fantasy", Battlelore's lyrical inspiration is credited by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and the epic The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Server Downtime For Lord of the Rings Online October 1st

The LOTRO Game Servers will be brought down on Monday, October 1st from 7:00 - 10:00 AM Eastern (-4 GMT) for an update to the game. Thanks for your patience, and we'll see you back in the game soon! Patch notes will be available during the downtime.