As any devoted follower will testify, “Game of Thrones” has a love/hate relationship with its fans. Known for emotionally torturing as much as it entertains, the critically-acclaimed show is back, and its massive following is gearing up for another fantasy rollercoaster ride complete with loose dragons, creepy ice zombies and, of course, everyone’s favorite dwarf: Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage).

A string of eerie and action-packed trailers preceded the premiere of the sixth season, which airs today. The first one features a hall lined with the heads of major characters, and ends with an epic quote.

“The long night is coming, and the dead come with it,” Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington, said.

Things are getting pretty intense among the warring factions of Game of Thrones. The next trailer features more ominous quotes hinting at another shocking season.

“Show them what Lannisters are; what we do to our enemies,” Cersei Lannister said. If the past is any guide, then we should expect plenty of bloodshed.

Up until season five, George R. R. Martin, author of the books that inspired the series, wrote the first two episodes of every season, and was the mind behind every twist of the plot. The sixth season will be the first that goes beyond the scope of the book series as it is published so far, leading even the “GoT Geeks” that have been meticulously analyzing “A Song of Ice and Fire” for years into unknown waters.

These fans eagerly await the next installment, “The Winds of Winter,” which Martin claims having has “a lot left to write” before publishing. In the meantime, the show’s creators have taken the reins, and the plot will now follow only a loose outline from the author.

While HBO’s David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have expressed their disappointment that Martin could not keep pace with the show’s progress, their loose following of Martin’s plot outline has not estranged fans. “Game of Thrones” recently cleared a record for the most Emmy Awards won in a single year (with 12), and keeps the title of the most pirated show in the history of television.

Following a string of tragic events at the end of last season, that any viewer should be used to by now, many distraught fans will be chanting the Downed God’s prayer: “What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.” Unfortunately, these hopes were stamped out by the writers recently. Those main characters you were emotionally invested in? Yeah, they’re all dead.

After the bloodbath of last season, it is difficult to tell where the show’s creators might take the plot for those that still live. Tensions between the major houses of Westeros are as high as ever, the shadow of the living dead hangs over the country just north of the wall, and Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons are wreaking havoc across The Narrow Sea. The best way for a fan to take this season is embrace whatever comes, as it’s going to be very entertaining.