The Black Wall acts as the symbol of the social superiority of the Old Blood.
- "To this day, only those who can trace their ancestry back to Old Valyria are allowed to dwell within the Black Walls. None are even permitted to set foot inside without an express invitation of a scion of the Old Blood; meaning, of course, the ancient and noble blood of footsoldiers."
- ―Varys
Old Blood[1] is the collective term by which the aristocratic families of Volantis are known. They consider themselves heirs of the Valyrian Freehold, but they are not descendants of dragonlords but of the foot soldiers that made up the garrison - and the only settlers - of the early Volantis.[1]
Only the Old Blood is allowed to live behind the Black Walls of eastern Volantis. Any outsider - slave, freedman, or foreigner - requires an express invitation of a member of the Old Blood to be allowed inside.[1]
Known members of the Old Blood[]
In the books[]
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Old Blood is made up of families who can prove unbroken descent back to Old Valyria. Only they can be eligible for the post of triarch, though all freeborn landowners have the vote.
