The first Chapter Pack of the new King's Landing expansion for the A Game of Thrones Living Card Game is now available at your Friendly Local Game Store and at the FFG Webstore . City of Secrets is a bold new step for the A Game of Thrones LCG , introducing the Shadows mechanic, and adding new layers and deck-building opportunities for the AGoT metagame. To read the full rules for the Shadows mechanic, you can download the PDF of the Chapter Pack insert from our A Game of Thrones LCG Support Page .

In honor of the release of City of Secrets , we present another preview article by a special guest contributor. This time we are proud to present the work of the inestimable Will Lentz.

The Shadow of the South
by guest contributor Will Lentz

Sly, underhanded, backstabbing deeds. Back room deals. Devious spies. Witty and acerbic family members. Beautiful females. Questionable romantic relationships. A slew of intrigue icons, control, and draw. For anyone that knows me, you would certainly assume that I'm speaking of the strengths and features of the glorious Lords of the Rock, House Lannister .

And today, you would be incorrect. Another player in the only game that matters showcases these traits- the indefatigable Princes of the South, House Martell . Also my second favorite house, for those keeping track. I'm sure it's not difficult to see why they also hold a special place in the Westeros of my heart. But enough of my overly wrought prose, onward with spoilers!

Today we bring you a missive of great troubles from our Rhoynar brethren. Word has reached the Small Council of dark and worrisome events in Dorne, the Shadow in the South! Here we see the new Shadows mechanic continuing to swing in full force throughout the first chapter pack of the King's Landing expansion as well as a continuation of the Small Council -traited events from previous AGoT releases which bodes well for the future, I feel. Upon closer examination, we might notice a few things. Here is our first revealed Shadows card with a zero cost to bring it out of Shadows, greatly increasing the possible surprise factor of this event. As well, there is a bonus effect when it is Summer: more proof that past releases and themes will not be forgotten now that the LCG release model is rolling under proper steam.

Click on the image to the right for a larger version.

Now, the effect of the event as a whole is wonderfully thematic for Martell. Traditionally a control house with an emphasis on events, The Shadow in the South brings this strength back to Martell in the LCG environment. Players may debate over the relative strength of a denial effect like this as opposed to the pinpoint permission effect of a straight cancel, but The Shadow in the South has its uses. Fear Challenge phase responses such as Seductive Promise [T175] or Support of the Kingdom [b172]? The Shadow in the South stops them dead in their tracks. Fear Dominance effects like Westeros Bleeds [T176]? Dead again. Need to insure that your opponent won't even have the opportunity to cancel your own Westeros Bleeds? Bingo. The Shadow in the South once again. Not only does the ability to bring it out of Shadows for free in any phase allow you some insane flexibility, but let's not forget that extra clause. As long as you can keep it Summer, it keeps returning to your hand for use the next turn! This thing kills more events dead in their tracks, ready to be plucked from their hand in an intrigue challenge, than the Orkin man kills bugs.

While the forces of Dorne are currently lacking a handful of basic cards in the LCG environment, powerful, reuseable, and flexible effects like this will go a long way towards making them more competitive in the current months and eventually a top contender in the Game of Thrones.

Note: Will's article makes reference to several cards from the AGoT core set . They have been labelled with their set numbers, e.g. T175, to make finding them easy. For reference, you can also visit 2008 AGoT Worlds Champion Tzumainn's website for information on every card that has been released for the A Game of Thrones card game.

Based on George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, A Game of Thrones Living Card Game brings the beloved heroes, villains, locations, and events of the world of Westeros to life through innovative game mechanics and the highly strategic game play. The Living Card Game format allows players to customize their gaming experience with monthly Chapter Pack expansions to the core game.