Announcing the Fifth Chapter Pack in the Conquest and Defiance Cycle

“Her life meant little and less to him. She was only his hostage, a prize to show the north that he could vanquish the ironborn.”
   –George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce The Prize of the North, the fifth Chapter Pack in the Conquest and Defiance cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

This Chapter Pack continues the cycle’s major themes, introducing fourteen cards with the Prized keyword and giving additional support to the possibility of multi-House or Neutral Faction decks. Every Great House in Westeros gains powerful cards, including a new Sand Snake for House Martell, powerful Warships for House Greyjoy, and three Prized dragon egg attachments for House Targaryen!

Even as the Great Houses explore the possibilities of mutually beneficial alliances, a deadly threat is rising in the northlands beyond the Wall. The brave warriors of the Night’s Watch could never stand against this threat alone, but in The Prize of the North, you’ll find potent new cards as House Baratheon casts its lot with the men of the Night’s Watch.

The Sword in the Darkness

House Baratheon and the Night’s Watch gain an efficient character in the Defenders of the Wall (The Prize of the North, 81). These brave defenders enter play inexpensively and carry the text, “No attachments except Weapon,” which protects it from many Strength-lowering effects. This character also possesses an ability that can make it quite useful in battle. During challenges declared against you by a player running an agenda, the Defenders of the Wall can defend Military challenges even while kneeling. With the current popularity of agendas, this character should have plenty of opportunities to defend Military challenges, keeping your opponents safe from harm.

Two locations included in The Prize of the North bind House Baratheon and the Night’s Watch even closer together. Deserted Castle (The Prize of the North, 82) can be knelt to choose a Baratheon character. The chosen character receives a Strength boost and the Night’s Watch trait for the phase, temporarily qualifying it for additional benefits, such as the immunity to events granted by Jon Snow (The Horn That Wakes, 73).

The Night’s Watch gains even more power from a new, Prized version of The Wall (The Prize of the North, 83). The Wall has the Prized 1 keyword, but it also grants each of your Night’s Watch characters both a Power icon and the Baratheon affiliation, provided it is Winter. Even better, The Wall contains the text, “Any Phase: Kneel The Wall to stand all Night’s Watch characters you control.” With this powerful ability, the Night’s Watch can defend the Wall with all their Strength before sallying forth and taking the fight to their foes with their own challenges.

Granting all of your Night’s Watch characters the Baratheon affiliation has several interesting implications. While The Wall’s ability is active, you’ll be able to recur your Night’s Watch characters from your discard pile with cards like Dale Seaworth (A Turn of the Tide, 67) or Melisandre’s Scheme (Reach of the Kraken, 9). You could even make use of the new House Baratheon agenda, A Noble Cause (Forgotten Fellowship, 98), to grant many of your Night’s Watch characters renown, potentially speeding you to a rapid victory.

The Wall Is Yours

The winds of winter have an icy chill, but with the new cards included in The Prize of the North, you can stand firm against them. Whether you cast your lot with the noble cause of House Baratheon and the Night’s Watch, with another Great House, or with the Neutral Faction, you’ll find plenty of cards to help you in this upcoming Chapter Pack. Look for The Prize of the North at your local retailer in the second quarter of 2014!

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