The Washington D.C. meta is excited to announce "Calling the Banners": the first-ever major (we hope) draft-format tournament for A Game of Thrones LCG.

What: Washington D.C. Calling the Banners Draft Event: A Game of Thrones LCG Draft-Format Tournament

Where: Dream Wizards Game Shop, Rockville, MD (just outside of Washington, D.C.)

Address: 11772 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852

The store is just off the beltway and is also transit-accessible.

Cost: The cost of the tournament is $20 if you bring your own AGOT LCG Draft Starter OR $25 if you do not (the extra $5 includes the cost of the Draft Starter, which we will have for you at the store).

You do not need to bring a Draft Pack (it is included in the price). The above prices are cash-only, and will be slightly higher if you use credit.

Format:

The tournament will start with a draft using standard AGOT Draft rules (more info here ). We'll then play an appropriate number of preliminary rounds (probably 5 or 6) based on the number of players, with the first three rounds being played exclusively within your draft pod. At the end of the preliminary rounds, the top 8 players will re-draft and will then use their newly drafted decks to play three rounds of single elimination to determine a champion.

All games will adhere to FFG tournament rules for Joust (1v1), and to the rules and FAQ found on the AGOT support page on the FFG website.

Prizes:

The complete prize package is still being finalized, so check back for more information and pictures. The bottom line is: we're going to have a ton of great prizes:

The Calling the Banners champion will receive a custom-made wooden deck box complete with engraved Baratheon sigil and key. This is a one-of-a-kind handmade collector's item that was awarded by FFG as the 2011 World Champion prize.

The champion will also receive a champion's playmat to show his or her superiority in the difficult draft format.

Think you're the master of your favorite house? The top player in each house after the preliminary rounds of the tournament will receive a House Champion Banner to show Lordship (or Ladyship) over the house. (to qualify for Lord/Ladyship, you must use the same house card for all of your preliminary games - traitors will not be eligible)

The top four players in the elimination rounds will receive custom house-specific deck/token pouches.

We will also have a raffle with a ton of great AGOT items, including playmats, alternate image promo cards, custom house card sets, and more (thanks to DCDennis for generously donating some awesome items). Each player will get 3 raffle tickets for playing in the tournament and 1 additional raffle ticket for each game loss during the preliminary rounds.

Registration:

You can register ahead of time or the morning of the event. However, registering at least a month ahead of time is highly recommended, as it guarantees you a spot. We'll be able to accommodate only a limited number of late registrations due to the product requirement for the draft.

To register, e-mail [email protected] with the subject line "Draft Registration" and the following information:

1) Name

2) Whether you are bringing your own Draft Starter or you plan to buy one as part of the tournament (this is important - we won't have a lot of extra Draft Starters, so if you'll need one, you need to tell us)

Other Notes:

For newer players: if you've never been to a tournament before, this is a great opportunity to come out and meet and learn from other players. You don't need to build a deck ahead of time to play in this tournament. Just show up and we'll help you with the rest. And if you're worried about not knowing how to draft, don't! Many other players will be drafting for the first time, too. Also, this is a great opportunity for a new player to build or start a collection - many experienced players will not need the cards they draft for their collection. I'm sure many if not most of them will be happy to give the cards they draft to any new player who needs them. So come on out and get your collection started!

For those coming into town early, there will likely be a casual meetup for gaming and socializing the night before the event. More details to come as the date gets closer.

Hosting: there are a number of players in the DC area who are happy to host players from out of town. If you need a place to stay, just ask and we'll see what we can do!

Questions:

Questions about the event? Please post them here and we'll do our best to respond.