sorry I just got this game for xmas and have a few questions. The biggest noob one of all is how do you begin a new round once you've done plot-taxation? Do you keep your "standing" cards standing? Or do you pick them up and put them in house deck? Do you put down new cards to equal 5 gold again like in first round? Sorry it's confusing me some haha

You just start a new plot phase. All the cards in play remain in play, your standing cards stay standing, and you don't setup (place the 5 gold worth of stuff) again.

So all u do is put down 5 gold worth of cards from hand? Do u make sure to keep 7 cards in hand at all times?

Oh my bad u said not 5 gold again

Basically the game remains as it was at the end of the taxation phase. You just start a new plot phase.

So u just keep adding cards to your standing each round?

You add cards to the play area each round, yes. If that's what you mean by 'standing'. The setup phase only happens once per game during, well, Setup. After that the seven game phases happen in order each round. There is an overview on your house card to remind you. So, you do one Setup, and then you repeat these seven steps in order:

Plot - You each play a plot card
Draw - You each draw two cards
Marshalling - You each put down cards
Challenges - You each make challenges
Domination - Someone claims a power
Stand - Everything stands
Taxation - Everyone loses their gold

so say for challenges in round 2, could you technically be using the same cards from round 1 to challenge if neither of the ones from round 1 are killed off or taken?

Fantasy Flight made some Youtube videos that should help! You can find them by typing "how to play a game of thrones card game" for some reason I can't post the links. This should help!

Pretty much, yes. Imagine if you will that the world you're creating with the cards is persistent, and the characters don't leave play unless the rules say otherwise.

Thanks for the help guys (and/or gals)!