By Chloe Aiello

Will you bleed for the throne? HBO was betting on it at this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival.

In partnership with the American Red Cross, the media company set up a sprawling "Game of Thrones" installation in Austin, Texas, complete with a throne, medieval music, and even Khal Drogo look-alikes.

"Obviously 'Game of Thrones' and blood go very hand-in-hand, so partnering with the Red Cross just felt like a very cool opportunity," Steven Cardwell, HBO's director of marketing, told Cheddar.

Fans in the mood to bleed "bend the knee" before a red robed woman and pledge their allegiance to the Iron Throne. They are then whisked off to donate blood on-site. The SXSW drive was just one part of broader blood collection effort across 43 U.S. states, and HBO's attempt, it would seem, to outdo its lavish 2018 "Westworld" activation.