In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Volon Therys is a vassal of the Free City of Volantis. Volon Therys is the final stop for traders and travellers before Volantis itself, and Volantis maintains a watch on who is passing through the city, sometimes preventing them from travelling on to the main city. It is a noted waystop for mercenary companies unable to get permission to travel on to Volantis itself. By the standards of the Free Cities, Volon Therys is a middling-sized town, but would be counted as a small city by the standards of Westeros.