My guillotine of a brain just had a REVELATION about the nature of Saga Expansion, and after asking some questions, I think I just realized the general shape of Realm 1.
Realm 0 is the realm of Thralls, completely dependent on the goodwill of their masters, and this is likely why the likes of Lidrun look down on non-Odr Cultivators. You only have tiny dribbles that aren't enough to do anything of purpose.
Realm 1 then is the realm of Man. Starting with Saga Establishment--or specifically, the realm of the Karl--the Freeman who is king upon their estate. They have freedom, but also only control that parcel of land that is theirs. Their growth is building a foundation that can endure calamity.
Saga Expansion then? That's the realm of a Jarl--you reach out, you conquer land, you raise Hirdsmen to protect it, and profit from being a true Lord. Your reach is beyond merely the walls of your estate, and once the land bows to you, that is when the Realm is complete. To do this, you also have the privileges of a Lord--namely, the ability to bequeath Power onto leal servants. That's why we can control the color, shape, and texture of Odr in Saga Expansion. Because the point is using it on other people without them being Cultivators themselves.
I asked IF if Corpsemaker's Ironmasks were Cultivators, he said no, but then I asked if they had Infusions, and he said "Come to think of it, they did seem weirdly strong..." Ironmasks are the ones directly sworn to their Lord, and the one privy to their secrets, it makes sense that this makes them worthy of an investment of their Lord's power as well. In short, I think that the major benefit of Saga Expansion is the ability to Infuse the stats of others without actually making them Cultivators yourself.
If that's the case, then the final step of Realm 1 is likely the realm of a King. Where even Jarls must pay homage to you--I expect then that the final trial of Saga Expansion is defending your newborn Jarldom from invasion from without--because ultimately, a Jarl must be able to defend their land from all challengers.
EDIT: With that said, I think most Steelfathers are at 1.3, simply because Mass Disclosure hasn't happened yet, and a King needs even Jarls to bend the knee--but the thing is that a Jarl is strong enough to threaten a King, and most Steelfathers fear death too much.
And I think Ironjaw Is in Realm 2, and that's part of how he's powerful enough to claim the title of Steelfather--at the very least, I suspect Farbjorn is one of his subordinate Odr Cultivators.
