Travel Notes

Territory notes:
Final version, might've missed some stuff but have finished reading the series.

Avernus: The various tribes of bird emphatically do not get along with one another. Some birds are big enough to use as transportation. Hard to get to any particular location when using it as a transitory plane, doable with time and effort, but not easy. An experienced Avernus Traveler was able to mess up an enemy Avernus' sparrows with a quick bit of effort, causing them disorientation and making them fall out of the sky.  Sparrows are a hivemind and can cause extreme disorientation and confusion to their targets with a psychic shriek, though it seems to require numbers for full effect and the sparrows are rather squishy. Owls have precognition, these are the source of the prophecy about Alin, each individual one is arbitrarily limited to a certain topic. For instance one of the better ones can see matters having to do with currency, while one of the literal shit tier ones could see when latrines would need to be emptied. Bird men are also a thing.  Ravens serve as advisors, sapient, can communicate telepathically and  view or modify memories. Travelers seem to learn the tricks of their chosen clans. May in emergency travel to the lands of an allied tribe (most Travelers have only one) instead of corresponding geographic location. Almost never used for Travel because time flows very unpredictably, tending towards slower than the main world. Eagles are combat specialists. Travelers develop the abilities of their chosen tribe of birds.

Asphodel: Summons include scouts and other things made of the mists, ephemeral and near impossible to drive off by mundane means. Mist causes hallucinations that get progressively more horrific the more you react to them, eventually blowing out your mind with a feedback loop, though it starts very subtle. Can also be used for subtler or more directed illusions with experience. Flowers all eat people with varying methods. For instance one secretes juices that are acidic but also act as an anesthetic, preventing its targets from realizing what's happening. Some flowers can be refined into useful drugs, both medical and recreational ones. Other creatures stalk the Mists, looking for those who panic in them. Has a normal progression of seasons, which is noted to be unusual for Territories. Creatures tend to be able to sense and track people by their emotions. Birds are briefly mentioned when describing one of the Incarnation's assembled armies.

Endross: Portals formed during battle grow over time, allowing greater and greater power and summons, however can also grow out of control, causing them to shoot lightning everywhere and explode. Portals take form of thunderstorms. Summons are whatever you can beat up and force to stay in your sanctuary. Plants and animals both have been demonstrated, plants died on portal closing. Summons mostly seem to be reptilian, though very wide variety of shapes. Summoner also had fairly good armor from Endross based materials. Strange rules of correspondences with real location to Endross location. Conjured lightning is noticeably weaker than the natural kind except for that from the really high end summons. Travelers can also influence the weather as they please, though it takes time and skill.

Lirial: Uses sanctuary like Endross, but requires items to be in the precise location you envisioned. Combat applicable magic includes creating ridiculously hard spires of crystal that encase anything they pass over when forming, putting it into stasis, this doesn't need to affect an entire organism at once. All Lirial crystals are powered by your Source, a crystal you get on initiation as a Traveler and can be charged with your life energy. Precise calculations needed for finesse, but crystals that do those calculations for you exist. Specific items come from thin air, pillars grow from ground. Opening a gate to a specific point on Lirial requires complex calculations, based on its lunar cycles (12 moons, fun times) meaning it's simultaneously an excellent and terrible plane for use traveling.

Lirial power is stored, using a specialized crystal each traveler has one of and their personal energy, recharging is slow, though short range effects seem to be relatively low in cost, running out was only raised as an issue for long range and duration scrying. Energy can be exchanged between Travelers, as well as the native life. Most of the unusual crystals are in tombs of a dead race that used to live in Lirial, loads of traps but some amazing goodies if you can get through them (some assembly may be required), Travelers also frequently appropriate the traps for their sanctum. Other sapient species are still around and willing to work in exchange for power, can do some of the same stuff as Travelers with it. Has what are effectively radios, small crystals that can fly around on their own and transmit sound. Incarnation threw bolts of energy for attacks. Known crystals include a scrying window, a crystal that can record and play back events, and a messaging crystal able to seek out the intended recipient on its own.

Tartarus: Traveler used key as focus when summoning. Summons came out of thin air, no noted portal. Includes beasts made of steel as summons, steel projectiles, as well as equipment for the Traveler. Automaton summons melt upon taking lethal damage. Includes various magic items deep in the Maze, main example we see is the danger sensing amulet in the items section, and a great deal of weapons and self assembling armor in a relatively small box. Travelers have issues because there's not much in the way of spells and you generally can't summon something in the same Territory as you, so they're a lot more vulnerable in Tartarus.

Helgard: Used invocation to call something out of the portal he arrived from. Presumably if no existing portal you open a new one and then issue the summons. Invocation also needed to open a portal, portals may go to different floors depending on input from the Traveler. At least some summons are cryokinetic, others are indistinguishable from snow when at rest, some are venomous. Rate of time compared to real world shifts every so often. Creatures can be influenced by certain hand signs as well as their name. The name of the species can be used in place o the creature's personal name, but the resulting bond is weaker. Bond between summons and Traveler is two way empathic, the Traveler and summon can both tell what the other is feeling as well as transfer information. Names can also be used to summon bits of locations or phenomena. Creatures may also choose to respond to nicknames, but aren't bound by them, unlike full names. One of the more basic attack spells is a giant razor edged telekinetically controlled snowflake. Has creatures that might have been responsible for reducing the Territories to shards of dead worlds inside, their names are effectively impossible to utter, described as a thousand different syllables simultaneously. Creatures can be summoned even if Traveler is on same plane as him.

Naraka: Fire comes out of portals, can then be directed or just kept around the portal for light, can also call special fire that burns in proportion with guilt and homes in on its target. Controlling effects involved tracing pattern with hand marked by the Iron. Causes pain on summoning. Terrain is subterranean, illuminated by copious amounts of fire and magna. Gates out can only be made at certain points, opening one elsewhere is likely fatal. Gates in can be made at combat speed for use as shields (probably not unique, but so far only demonstrated once). High end summons are sapient. Initiation involves eating an obsidian apple to get permanent flame resistance, quality is directly proportional to the potential of the Traveler. Summons are generally reptilian or insectile in appearance. Strange pre-prepared stones burned for some of the more unusual effects (summoning within the Territory, heating the Brand in preparation for minting a new Traveler). Vulnerable to literal disarmament. The process of summoning is effectively putting out a call and getting what responds, so little bonding between summoner and summons. By the standards of Naraka if you receive punishment for a crime you are no longer guilty of it for the purpose of the Territory's many abilities dealing with criminals.

Ornheim: has critters that literally swim through stone. Can animate stone in combat time using golem cores. Golems can have multiple cores expended in creation, but one is the central one that's critical to the golem. Golem cores must be manufactured, taking a gemstone from Ornheim and carefully cutting it and engraving it with runes. Summons are animals made of various rocks which are very effective at ambushes due to hiding in the ground. Combat spells involve using various special rocks and minerals as projectiles, guided telekinetically. Travelers gain the ability to sense the composition of earth, detecting veins of useful metals.

Valinhall: Large sword used to make true gates. Need to earn such a sword instead of immediately getting one. Time is always faster than outside world at a fixed rate, allowing greater training and testing in a shorter period. Summons are mostly internal temporary buffs or equipment, not creatures. Buffs are temporary and take awhile to recharge, can be burned through at varying paces to balance potentcy against duration. Progression of rooms with each giving some utility, and a new buff or piece of equipment if you performed excellently on the test. Exceptions are the bath and dining rooms, which have repetitive trials to use them. Bath house heals wounds and aging, but gets progressively more creatures stalking its depths the longer you stay in it.

Generally can't be used for travel, you exit to the main world location you entered from (single fixed exit in one of the later rooms to the grove that contains Valin's tree). Incarnation limit grows slower to both progress and recede the longer a Traveler has been with Valinhall (unclear if this is a general Traveler trait). While not truly summons, the Nye, housekeepers and assassins, can exit the Territory if they deem it necessary.

Elysia and Ragnarus: Not going in depth since they're unavailable. Suffice to say Elysia is ridiculously potent, and Ragnarus is able to do lots, but frequently gets into the question of whether it's worth the expense (Also Ragnarus is bound to the Royal Family). The virtues noted for the Territories are those of the corresponding Elysian light, not necessarily present in the Territory itself (see Naraka, which would agree with Judge Dredd on most things), but instead what Elysia thinks is vital and necessary for those Travelers.

On travel: While Naraka is good for large distances, its fixed exit points mean other Territories are generally used for shorter range lower case t travel. Also the fluctuating time of most Territories may affect travel time, meaning the preferred Territory for Travel may be different on different days.

On basics: "Here are the basics: you explore your Territory. The closer your bond to something, the easier you’ll be able to summon it. But thinking people need to give you their consent, and animals need to obey you, either out of fear or loyalty."

Territories interfere with using foreign Traveler powers. Summons generally stay out after the gate they came in on closes. Unclear if they still count against Incarnation limit or if the cost is solely on the summoning. Either way they'll be wanting to go back when possible, and it's not particularly practical to walk around with them out for most Territories.

Each Territory has something referred to as a Gatecrawler, a way of opening recently closed Gates to pursue an enemy, Valinhall has a gauntlet, Naraka some beast, others not shown so far.

Ragnarus, Lirial, and Elysia are linked to bloodlines. Lirial apparently got nearly wiped out awhile back, while Elysia was wiped out except one line, and Ragnarus is exclusive to the royal family. The other Territories are maybe this way as well, though thoroughly dispersed throughout the population.

Some Territories have colonies that include non-Travlers living there long term, Lirial, Asphodel, and Helgard are the ones explicitly shown to.

Observations: Travelers in general have a lot of offense, but little defense for themselves. Valinhall exploits this mercilessly, buffing themselves instead of using summons and bearing counters for anything in the 10 Territories strength of arms can't destroy. In other words out of jump powers go great against them. Incarnation is a vicious cycle on the large scale, generally defeating an Incarnation requires enough power that the person who managed it hits Incarnation too. Ragnarus is useful here because it draws on resources besides your connection to a Territory.

Incarnations: They have absurd throughput and access to everything from their Territories. On the plus side their eyes are sufficiently changed by their Territories that they count as supernatural senses instead of mundane ones, meaning if you have the Nye Cloak or something similar you're effectively invisible to them. If they stay in their Territory they cease to be Incarnations and merely become inhabitants of their Territory, powerful ones, but not walking forces of nature anymore, with the mental influence gradually diminishing. Naraka at least has more requirements to Incarnate than just overspending power, you have to simultaneously be on the run from and in pursuit of justice, while both Ragnarus Incarnations incarnated on their deathbed after giving their life as a cost. Even if you're not incarnating you have a limited pool of energy to work with and can exhaust or even kill yourself if you're not careful. The Trees are useful even if you don't plan on using them long term because during the setup they restrain the Incarnation above ground, giving a chance to kill them.

Odd threads left hanging:
Helgard/Naraka guy used a summoning stone, seemed to make conjuring one of his high end Naraka summons possible despite being in Naraka (generally summons don't work in their home territory, though buffs and spells still do)

Valinhall Catalog:
Liquid Steel, vastly increases strength, first room. Trial is defeating a bunch of animated armors, room is small and they wield large weapons, so nowhere near as bad as it sounds.

The third room is the Library. You need to defeat humanoid wax things that fight unarmed. Item is unknown as Simon didn't do well enough to ear it, best guess is the Steel Scroll. Even without the item Valinhall has a hugely extensive library.

White Flame, purges poisons, in the Forge (third room). Guardian is changed out whenever someone earns this due to not respawning. If you ask nicely the Elder Nye might also open up the workshop adjoining the Forge, where many of Valinhall's artifacts were adapted from those of other Territories.

Dragon's Fang, the aforementioned swords used for gates. Outside of usual progression, also comes with an advisor and bedchamber. Trial is performing well within one particular hellhole of a cave on the main world. Initiates are told they have to survive a week in it, in truth it's more an exercise in seeing how they respond to danger.

Armory, available from start but outside the progression. Full of traps, as well as puzzles that if you solve in full let you summon weapons from it instead of just retrieving them physically (representation is a key). All experienced Travelers have its reward.

Nye Essence, massive speed buff and stealth, outside of usual progression. Granted by the Nye Elder to promising Valinhall Travelers in exchange for an oath to help maintain Valinhall. Elder also likes to hand out cloaks that amplify the stealth effect to the point of near invisibility to supernatural senses so long as you channel Nye Essence and have the hood up.

Stone Amulet, durability buff, beyond what Simon has reached so far. Extremely basic. Looted from Ornheim, though the actual amulet isn't summoned.

Liquid gold, endurance buff. Used by Kai, who's implied to not be as dedicated to progressing as the other Valinhall users we see, but is still fairly far along.

Iron Scroll, buff that gives ridiculous knowledge of combat and tactics. Kai only. Might be linked to the Library.

Dispel, causes chain tattoos to flash white, destroys nearby spells, usable in quick succession. Used by Kai with no other indication on order.

Diamond, long lasting buff that dulls all negative emotion and defends against mental attacks, used for countering Asphodel Mists and Avernus birds. Runs into some issues with altered state not wanting to turn it off at times. Everyone but Simon (newbie), considered to be really basic.

Ghost Armor, high quality armor against supernatural attacks, invisible except when blocking blows, shines green then (which means it's likely looted from Elysia). Tied to the graveyard, which falls outside the standard room progression due to being added by Valin instead of forming naturally. Previous room guard is unknown, after Valin's death he becomes the new one (and is no longer the Incarnation, instead just another being bound to the Territory). Decently difficult, asked about when gauging Simon's progress as a milestone. Used by Kai.

Ice Horn, closes all nearby Gates on sounding, or can be channeled as an enhancement to your Dragon's Fang. Before Armor, similarly asked about as a milestone. Trial is a few rooms in, requires you to go through sword stances to the other end of the room, any mistake and you get hit by a raindrop and attacked by weird cat creatures. Looted from Helgard.

Black Gauntlet, aforementioned Gatecrawler. Kai has been seen using it, mentioned as something fairly standard to have.

Ice Dagger, buff that dulls pain and discomfort, in Winter Garden. Unknown who if anyone has it, besides Simon not having it.

Glass Bell, banishes everything in a large radius to territory of origin, only usable once every few days. Used by Denner, a mid tier Traveler who notes he's pretty sure he's the only one who has found it.

Smoke, turns you into a cloud of smoke, turning back at a destination set when using the power. Used by Kai after about a year of serious level grinding.

Stone Tablet, buff that gives the ability to see the vitality of others, think detect life. Used by one of the mid tiers, reference is made to Valin and the other mid tier also having it.

Bow of light, shoots a projectile that went through everything in its path. Used by Valin,  Kathrin (another of the older Travelers) no clue where it falls in progression.

Heal, flashes green and gold light, unknown progression, might only be for very recent wounds used by Kai and Valin.

Mask, unknown how to properly earn it. Added during second book, scavenged and reworked from Ragnarus. Massively amplifies boosts at the cost of hitting Incarnation Limit faster and emptying out all used boosts when removed.