For The Watch

“You would do well to keep your wolf close beside you. Ice, I see, and daggers in the dark. Blood frozen red and hard, and naked steel. It was very cold.” 
   –Melisandre, A Dance with Dragons

In the final pages of A Dance with Dragons, winter has taken hold of Westeros, forcing everyone to take desperate measures in order to survive the chill and seemingly endless nights. In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen abandons Meereen on the back of Drogon, Stannis Baratheon sends his army to a doomed battle at Winterfell, and the brothers of the Night’s Watch prepare to undertake a truly abominable act. But all seem to understand that winter is fast approaching—whatever their plans may be, they must act now or never.

Daggers in the Dark , a Chapter Pack for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, is on sale now at your local retailer or online through our website!

The Warden of Winterfell

Throughout the Dance of Shadows cycle, we have seen a renewed emphasis on conspiracies and collusion with the return of the shadow mechanic from the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. By paying two gold, you can protect some your deadliest new cards in shadows until you are ready to spring your traps, paying a card's shadow (x) cost to bring it into play. When you're surrounded by enemies on all sides, embracing underhanded methods may be the only way to survive.

Despite their reputation as one of the most honorable Houses in Westeros, as Winterfell falls to the Boltons, House Stark gains access to one of the most potentially deadly traps in A Game of Thrones: The Card Game with The Bastard's Letter (Daggers in the Dark, 102). This event cannot be played normally, bearing no printed cost. Rather, you must play it into shadows and keep it hidden until you have goaded your enemy into attacking. Once the attack has been made, however, you can destroy your foes. After your opponent initiates a military challenge against you, you can play The Bastard's Letter to stand any of your characters with a military icon to defend your claim. Then, if you win the encounter, you'll kill each character who was foolish enough to fall for your scheme.

But there are still those in Westeros who will do whatever it takes to restore the Starks to Winterfell. Contrary to the plots and intrigues of the Dance of Shadows cycle, Ser Jason Mallister (Daggers in the Dark, 101) of Seagard becomes more powerful when there are no cards in shadows, gaining renown to help accrue power for your House. In defense of your honorable intentions, Mallister can take up arms, and if he is victorious in a challenge, he has the rare chance to discard one of your opponent's cards from shadows. Between this and his efficent cost to STR ratio, Mallister is sure to become a vital part of the Stark’s strategy as winter falls on Westeros.

Lambs to the Slaughter

The Boltons are not the only ones who hope to draw in their opponents, and the Starks are not the only ones who seek revenge. Far to the south in Dorne, the Martells seethe with anger for the death of not only Elia, but now Oberyn as well. His daughters, the Sand Snakes, are tired of their uncle’s “thinking” and they demand action. With the Blood of the Viper (Daggers in the Dark, 116), these proud women can fight, change strategies, and return to the fight, standing again after they have lost a challenge. You may lead your opponent to believe that you're focused on one challenge, then ambush Blood of the Viper into play, standing a Sand Snake with multiple icons, like Obara Sand (Sands of Dorne, 5) or Tyene Sand (True Steel, 115), and crushing your opponent once they've knelt some of their forces.

In Daggers in the Dark, you gain the chance to not only manipulate the battle as it stands, but your own deck as well. The strength of Gifts for the Widow (Daggers in the Dark, 114) is only limited by what you are willing to spend. Even though this event does not bear the shadow keyword, it still plays into the key themes of plotting and surprise attacks. As long as you know what can help you claim victory, you can play this event at the moment your need arises, ensuring you can immediately find the attachment that you're looking for. You may choose to adorn one of your Targaryen characters with a  Tokar (House of Thorns, 38), or spend a little more to find a Seal of the Hand (Core Set, 32) for a powerful character like Khal Drogo (Core Set, 162).

Winter’s Toll

The final rays of light are dying. Soon, only darkness and death will remain. Have you laid your plans for the long nights ahead, or when the sun rises again, will you be gone from the world? Draw your weapon and strike now, before it is too late!

Pick up your copy of Daggers in the Dark (GT36) at your local retailer today or on the Fantasy Flight Games website here!