It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first of which is A Game of Thrones.

A major arc concerns the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros through a web of political conflicts among the noble families either vying to claim the throne or fighting for independence from it.

The Night's Watch guards the Wall to keep the wildlings and White Walkers from crossing into the Seven Kingdoms.

She receives three dragon eggs from Magister Illyrio, who tells her that they have been turned to stone by the passage of time.

A commoner born with dwarfism would have been left in the woods to die. Luckily for Tyrion, his birthright as a Lannister not only saved his life, but afforded him significant wealth and power.

After discovering six orphaned direwolf pups, Eddard Stark advocates killing the pups out of mercy, but when his son Jon suggests it may be an omen (the direwolf is the symbol of House Stark), he agrees to let each of his children raise one of the pups.

When Bran climbs a tower and witnesses Jaime having sex with his twin sister Cersei, Jaime pushes Bran from the high window to conceal their incest.

Knowing his prospects are limited by his status as a bastard, Jon Snow joins the Night's Watch.

After his accident, Bran begins to have a recurring dream in which a three-eyed raven flies into the crypts of Winterfell.

Exiled Prince Viserys Targaryen forces his sister Daenerys to marry Khal Drogo in exchange for an army to conquer Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne.