The War of the Five Kings is drawing to a close, but new intrigues and plots are in motion, and the surviving factions must contend with enemies not only outside their ranks, but within. Though the mainland of Westeros is mostly under Lannister control, there are still two factions defying them: the Greyjoys  and the Baratheons. Ironborn occupiers remaining in the North are being hunted down by Ramsay Snow, bastard son of Roose Bolton. Meanwhile, a large Dornish embassy arrives in King's Landing to claim their due - but instead of Prince Doran, his brash younger brother Oberyn Martell comes to claim the council seat as the Lannisters aren't the only ones who pay their debts. Stannis Baratheon, as the rightful heir to his older brother King Robert, still refuses to surrender, however, following the advice of Melisandre, he has focused his attention of the threat of the wildlings marching against the Wall.

Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea in Slaver's Bay, perhaps the greatest threat to Lannister rule is rapidly growing in strength. Daenerys Targaryen now commands not just three live dragons - who are starting to grow large enough to serve as decisive weapons of war - but also an army of eight thousand  Unsullied warrior-eunuchs.

Far to the North, the White Walkers have emerged in force, leading their armies of wights while Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly and the rest of the Night’s Watch do what they can to prepare Castle Black for a massive wildling attack. Meanwhile, House Stark stands on the verge of extinction as four "lone wolves" fight to survive: Sansa Stark remains a hostage of the Iron Throne and a forced marriage to Tyrion Lannister, Rickon Stark seeks safety with the fiercely loyal House Umber, Bran Stark and his companions Hodor, Jojen and Meera Reed have crossed the Wall chasing a vision, and Arya Stark, having lost everything and forced to rely on the protection of a man she hates, clings to survival and her thirst for vengeance.