Book 14 is out for Lord of the Rings Online, adding the chapter that sees the Fellowship leaving Rivendell and plunging past "Beware of Balrog" signs towards Moria, where they'll take us later this year. As usual, there's no charge for it, and it also adds a lot of new fixes and features. You've got to hand it to Turbine for continually releasing new content, spinning out their parallel quests as Frodo and company progress from the Shire to Rivendell and now beyond. I'm still way back in Book 6, trying to track down an errant Nazgul swept away at the ford of Bruinen. But if you're caught up with Turbine's storyline, now you'll get to visit Eregion, the forge where the elves made the Rings. Does it make me a total Tolkien dork to think that's the coolest thing this side of Lothlorien?

You also have to hand it to Turbine for being so open about the development process. Here's an article where they lay out how they place unique characters like Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf in an MMO swarming with players of different levels, performing quests for different characters at different locations. Aragorn has been strategically placed behind locked doors through most of the Books, but what's going to happen to, say, Boromir who's pacing and fretting along the very public paths of Rivendell, or Gandalf who needs to dole out quests and rewards? These unique characters will be moved into private rooms and Turbine expects that you shouldn't go into those rooms if want to imagine the Fellowship has left Rivendell. In other words, uh, the honor system.

Also, Turbine is terribly honest about occasional glitches when they release new content. Note this warning of a Book 14 problem pending a fix:

Players may also find some random issues with Dwarves wielding bagpipes.

Here are the full notes for the Book 14 update.