There’s nothing at all exciting or luxurious about the Night’s Watch, the men who protect Westeros from the dangers that lie beyond the Wall in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series and the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. They leave their friends and families behind. They swear never to take another woman, father no children, and own any land. They live among constant ice and snow. And it will remain so until the day that they die. Only then will their service end.

Many think taking the Black comes with great honor, but they soon find out that most of the brothers of the Watch are thieves and murderers and rapists—a rather unpleasant wake-up call. Still, what they do is crucially important to the protection of Westeros from the White Walkers and Wildlings and various other dangers, and they’re always looking for new members to take the oath and swear fealty to the Night’s Watch.

Do YOU have what it takes to be a brother (or sister)…and perhaps someday even a ranger? Continue below now to find out how you can take the Night’s Watch oath online, and add your voice to the many others who will join!

Author George R.R. Martin, the man who created the “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series—the same series that would one day be turned into HBO’s ultra-popular TV series Game of Thrones—has signed a new two-year overall deal with HBO.

The deal will see Martin continue as one of the executive producers on Game of Thrones, obviously, and he’ll also be helping to develop and produce potential new series for the network.

The worst thing about HBO’s Game of Thrones—and it may be the only negative about the show—is that as we make our way through a season, we begin to dread that 10th episode, knowing full well that that’s where it ends for the year, instead of the usual 12th episode.

Season 3 of the series will be doubly painful, as it will be based on author George R.R. Martin‘s biggest book in the “Song of Ice and Fire” series, A Storm of Swords. That means instead of the season being focused on one entire book, this one will only be covering the first half of the book, leaving us to wait another year just to finish this book’s stories.

But on the bright side of life, that means at least one more season than there are Martin books, if we’re fortunate enough to get them all covered by HBO. And now comes word that episodes this season will be longer!

It’s nearly impossible to watch HBO’s Game of Thrones without getting hungry or thirsty for some good old medieval fare, and even harder to do so while reading George R.R. Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series.

There are plenty of related cookbooks and recipes for those of us desperate enough to eat the way the people of Westeros eat, and most of the drink is readily available in reality. But, when it comes to beer specifically, fans will soon have the option of picking up some Game of Thrones themed suds.

A new poster for the upcoming third season of HBO’s Game of Thrones has been released, offering a date for the premiere of the new season etched in stone (or ice?).

The poster is fairly plain, showing only a date with a trio of swords through one of the zeroes, but still…it’s confirmation of the date we can expect our favorite fantasy series back and the first step to getting to that date. It’s all images, trailers, and anticipation from here, friends.

Check out the poster for season 3 of Game of Thrones below now.