A white raven is tapping on our window bringing the certain news that Game of Thrones season six is coming.
We like nothing better than engaging in a bit of GoT speculation - and now we don't even have the books to give us a clue as to what is coming up. Here are some of the biggest mysteries that have been occupying our minds over the last year (and in some cases much, much longer).
Warning: If you aren't up to date on Game of Thrones, turn away now and get watching.
1. Is Jon Snow dead?
Let's get the big'un out the way first. Kit Harington is adamant that his character has shuffled off to the big direwolf petting zoo in the sky, but the rumours - and our gut feeling - say that his story can't be over yet.
And we're still waiting for the resolution of who his parents really are. They couldn't leave us hanging like this, right?
2. What happened to Benjen Stark?
We haven't seen Ned Stark's younger brother since episode three of the first season, but Game of Thrones finally remembered him by using the Night's Watchman's name as a ruse to line Jon Snow up for a (fatal?) stabbing.
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In the books there is a friendly wight/zombie guy called Coldhands who has been rumoured to be Benjen, but in the show we've hade literally no hint as to his fate.
3. Will Daenerys finally set out for Westeros?
She's had a hard enough time with just one city, so we're not sure exactly how Daenerys would possibly fare against the chronic civil unrest of the Seven Kingdoms. But she's surely got to get back on the road to Westeros eventually.
Whatever happens, she's going to have to get away from her new Dothraki captors first.
4. Is The Hound actually dead?
Arya left poor Sandor Clegane for dead in season four after his run-in with Brienne, but we never saw the body, did we? A theory from the books says he's still around, and keeping a very low profile.
5. Who's in charge of the Wall now?
With Jon Snow presumed dead, which of the treacherous Night's Watchmen is going to take charge, and what might that mean for the Wildings trying to get to safety over the Wall? Whoever it is, we don't recommend Olly as a steward.
6. Is Lady Stoneheart ever going to show up?
Catelyn Stark famously gets the Red Priest beauty treatment in the books and comes back in a creepy, vengeful and horribly scarred form.
It was a whole two years ago that Lena Headey trolled us with the possibility, and with all the buzz around 'Lady Stoneheart', HBO would be missing a trick by not getting Michelle Fairley back.
7. How long can King Tommen possibly survive?
George RR Martin clearly wants Daenerys on the Iron Throne. Couple that with the horrible life expectancy of any actual or would-be kings in this post-Robert Baratheon world - not to mention his bastard siblings - and dear sweet Tommen probably doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of making it out alive.
8. What happened to Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey?
Aka the people who actually did get married at the Red Wedding.
Not everyone died horribly in the great hall of the Twins. Catelyn's little bro was kept as an 'honoured guest' of Walder Frey. And with reports that uncle Bryden 'Blackfish' Tully is back for season six, might we get to stop in on the happy couple too?
9. What was Bran doing for all of season five?
Thanks to recent photos we know that - in real-world terms - actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright has been busy enjoying a teenage growth spurt since season four. But what about his Starkish alter ego? Will we rejoin Bran from the point he meets the Three-Eyed Raven or will he be coming back with a new raft of creepy Warging superpowers?
10. Who is going to get rid of the Faith Militant and the High Sparrow?
We can probably all agree that Jonathan 'High Sparrow' Pryce and his scar-headed religious marauders are The Worst. But who is in a position to show them the door? Cersei will want to, but we're not sure she has the chops.
11. Whatever happened to Gendry?
Robert Baratheon's bastard son was sent off in a boat way back in season three so that Melisandre wouldn't be able to use his blood to work her horrible magic. Where did he end up? And have all the lords of Westeros completely lost interest in Robert's bastard?
12. Where is Rickon Stark?
OL, so we're not that bothered about the littlest Stark - but he's still out there somewhere after Osha took him away, and that's no small deal for the North. We'll be keeping an eye out for him returning as a new actor (like all the other young supporting characters in the series - we're looking at you, Tommen and Myrcella).
