‘Game of Thrones’ season 4: Where we left off

HBO’s “Game of Thrones” returns to the small screen Sunday night to begin its fourth season, which will follow much of the action in the latter half of “A Storm of Swords,” the third novel in George R.R. Martin’s sprawling literary fantasy.

Though the epic show is known for its slow builds, word on the streets of Westeros suggests that swords will be drawn swiftly and without mercy.

So where did we leave off? In a nutshell, the Lannisters were up and the Starks were very down.

After the bloodbath of the Red Wedding, where matriarch Catelyn, her son Robb and his pregnant wife were all knifed to the tune of “The Rains of Castamere,” few members of clan are left alive. However, bloodthirsty Arya Stark just might be the one to exactly revenge, even if she must wait to mete out her punishments.

Power never stays in one place (or one family) for too long in the Seven Kingdoms, so while the Lannisters appear to have a lock on the Iron Throne, appearances can be deceiving. Will their dysfunction and backbiting get in their way, if the survivors of House Stark don’t get to them first?

Who will be the first to go in the next installments? Start the betting pools now.