“I shall have to borrow the money. No doubt the Lannisters will be accommodating. We owe Lord Tywin some three million dragons at present, what matter another hundred thousand?”

–George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce The Road to Winterfell, the second Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

Ancient evil awakens in the lands beyond the Wall. The last Targaryens bind their future to the Dothraki lord, Khal Drogo. From the heights of the Eyrie in the east to the heart of Casterly Rock in the west, the Great Houses of Westeros plot to increase their own power. Amongst these changing tides and dangers, Robert Baratheon marches north to Winterfell, to convince his old friend, Eddard Stark, to return to King’s Landing alongside him. Now, you can continue to follow the events of A Game of Thrones and join the Great Houses in their struggle for power!

The Road to Winterfell is the second Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle, and like the other packs in this cycle, it’s filled with iconic characters and locations from the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire. Here, you’ll meet iconic characters like Rakharo and Syrio Forel, and you’ll find a Targaryen attachment so powerful, it’s limited to one copy per deck! The Road to Winterfell also quickly expands the number of available plots with two new neutral plots and one plot loyal to House Lannister. With new cards for every faction and neutral cards to expand your deckbuilding options, this Chapter Pack brings you deeper into the story of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

Profit from Temptation

Across the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, the Lannisters are widely known for their undeniable wealth. The treasuries of Casterly Rock are said to be bursting with gold, and the Iron Throne itself owes more than three million dragons to House Lannister. In A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, House Lannister has the potential to be richer than any other faction, and you can even exhort gold from your opponents with cards like Brothel Madame (The Road to Winterfell, 29).

On the surface, the Brothel Madame is relatively unassuming – she bears a single intrigue icon and two STR. However, her Reaction may quickly make the Brothel Madame a thorn in your opponent’s side. After the challenges phase begins, the Brothel Madame allows you to choose any player. That player may give you a gold from his gold pool, and if he chooses not to give you a gold, he cannot initiate military challenges against you!

No matter what your opponent chooses, House Lannister comes out ahead. If your opponent saves a gold to give you, you’re restricting his economy and possibly preventing him from playing events – even as you gain a gold that you can spend on your own events or to ambush characters into play. However, if your opponent doesn’t give you a gold, he can’t initiate military challenges against you, leaving your characters safe from military harm.

How will the Lannisters use the gold dragons that they receive from their Brothel Madames? One possible usage is the new faction-specific plot, Wardens of the West (The Road to Winterfell, 30). This plot is loyal to House Lannister and limited to one copy per plot deck – and the reasons for these restrictions are obvious. Wardens of the West has solid gold, initiative, and reserve values, and a powerful ability that can strip your opponent’s cards from hand.

Wardens of the West reads, “Reaction: After you win an intrigue challenge, pay two gold to have the losing opponent choose and discard two cards from his or her hand.” The possible applications of this plot are massive. You’re forcing your opponent to discard the two worst cards from his hand, and if you’re attacking during the intrigue challenge, you’ll have a much better chance of discarding an important card from his hand. But you don’t need to be attacking to trigger Wardens of the West: whether you are attacking or defending during the challenge, you can trigger Wardens of the West if you win.

You can combine Wardens of the West with other Lannister cards for maximum effect. Casterly Rock (Core Set, 97) allows you to initiate an additional intrigue challenge and Tyrion Lannister (Core Set, 89) ensures that you have the gold you need to trigger Wardens of the West. Although you can only include one copy of this plot in your deck, using it at the opportune moment could completely destroy your opponent’s hand, leaving him alone and without options in the deadly game of thrones.

Travel to the North

You may scheme and amass gold with the Lannisters in King’s Landing and Casterly Rock. You may stand fast with the honorable Starks and lend your aid to Robert Baratheon. However you play the game of thrones, whichever faction you support, you’ll find that your future lies along The Road to Winterfell.

Look for The Road to Winterfell at your local retailer in the fourth quarter of 2015!