Actually, Ned survives till near the end of the first book. Based on the scenes covered in the pilot script, it would appear that they are going to take their time getting thru the first book. Now, if they are using Game of Thrones, the first book,to build an entire multi-year series, then Ned will be around for quite some time. If they plan on one book per season, then he will likely die in episode 8 or 9 of the planned 10 episodes. I noted that they are aging the children up by 2 years, but also they age Ned and his brother Benjen. Ned is noted as 40 and Benjen is noted as 40's. Benjen goes missing in the early part of the first book but reappears in book 3, aged even older. Benjen and Ned are very much alike in aphysical ppearance. So, as Sylvene suggested somewhere, it would be easy for Sean to pick up the role of Benjen a few years down the road when Benjen reappears. How cool would that be?