quick clarification question. if a card with stalwart is attached with poppy milk and is subsequently killed, it will still end up on the top of the deck correct? my thinking is that the attachment goes byebye in step 3 and stalwart kicks in during the passive step (cant recall if its step 4 or 5).

Actually, Eddard becomes moribund in step 3 (or substep 2.3, 4.3 or 5.3, depending on what type of effect killed or discarded him) and Milk of the Poppy becomes moribund in step 4 (or substep 2.4, 4.4 or 5.4) of the very same (sub)window and both leave play in step 6. So when Eddard becomes moribund, Stalwart's replacement effect isn't active (and it's not active either when he actually leaves play, because the attachment leaves play at the same time).

can you do me a favor and walk through this case step by step as if you were talking to a complete dummy (cuz i kinda am ). So characters and their attachments are technically still attached until step 6?

Ok, let's say you have Eddard in play, with Milk of the Poppy attached. Say you lose a military challenge.

We are now in step 1 (initiation) of the framework event "implement challenge result": you choose Eddard to satisfy claim.

Now comes step 2 (save/cancel responses): you get the opportunity to cancel the claim (Martell can do this, but not Stark) and/or save Eddard (with a duplicate or any other save effect). You don't.

Now comes step 3 (execute effect): Eddard becomes moribund and since Milk of the Poppy is attached to him, he doesn't have Stalwart, so his final destination is the dead pile, but he doesn't leave play yet.

Now comes step 4 (passive effects): this is when the game becomes aware that Milk of the Poppy is attached to a moribund character and makes it moribund as well, with the discard pile as its final destination. It doesn't leave play yet either.

Now comes step 5 (other responses): all players can respond to Eddard's death (or any other effect that happened since).

And finally comes step 6 (action ends): all moribund cards leave play (here, Eddard goes to the dead pile and Milk of the Poppy to the discard pile) and their duplicates (if any) go to the discard pile. All response opportunities are closed.

You'll find all the details in the FAQ (Timing Structures and Flowcharts).

thank you, i just couldnt find anywhere that explicitly stated that the passive resolution step is where cards and their attachments are officially severed.

It's been written in the forum (though not in the rules or FAQ) and it is the most logical timing point at which this can happen (since there is no choice by any player, the closest effect type is a passive effect).