diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/discovery/world-discovery.service.ts b/apps/api/src/world/discovery/world-discovery.service.ts
index 562c77d..dbf3a65 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/discovery/world-discovery.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/discovery/world-discovery.service.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,24 @@ export class WorldDiscoveryService {
     }
 
     const known = await this.getDiscoveredLocationIds(characterId, manager);
-    return known.has(connection.toLocationId);
+    return this.isRouteOpen(known, connection);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The gating rule itself, given an already-loaded discovery set.
+   *
+   * Pure and synchronous so a caller with many connections can load the set
+   * once and filter in memory, while `isTravelAllowed` stays the convenient
+   * single-connection entry point. One rule, two callers.
+   */
+  isRouteOpen(
+    discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+    connection: Pick<LocationConnection, 'toLocationId' | 'requiresDiscovery'>,
+  ): boolean {
+    return (
+      !connection.requiresDiscovery ||
+      discoveredLocationIds.has(connection.toLocationId)
+    );
   }
 
   private discoveries(manager?: EntityManager) {
diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.spec.ts b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.spec.ts
index 1481917..329537c 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.spec.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ const BURNED_ROAD_POIS: LocationPointOfInterestContent[] = [
     enabled: true,
     resultTitle: 'Suspicious Tracks',
     resultText: 'Fresh bootprints lead east.',
+    discoversLocationKey: 'ash-pit',
   },
   {
     key: 'sealed-crypt',
@@ -238,14 +239,15 @@ function buildService(
   } as unknown as Repository<LocationMonster>;
   const worldDiscovery = {
     discover: jest.fn(),
-    isTravelAllowed: (
-      _characterId: string,
+    getDiscoveredLocationIds: jest
+      .fn()
+      .mockResolvedValue(new Set(options.discovered ?? [])),
+    isRouteOpen: (
+      discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
       connection: { toLocationId: string; requiresDiscovery: boolean },
     ) =>
-      Promise.resolve(
-        !connection.requiresDiscovery ||
-          (options.discovered ?? []).includes(connection.toLocationId),
-      ),
+      !connection.requiresDiscovery ||
+      discoveredLocationIds.has(connection.toLocationId),
   } as unknown as WorldDiscoveryService;
 
   const service = new WorldService(
@@ -307,7 +309,11 @@ describe('WorldService', () => {
       find: findLocationMonsters,
     } as unknown as Repository<LocationMonster>;
     const worldDiscovery = {
-      isTravelAllowed: () => Promise.resolve(true),
+      getDiscoveredLocationIds: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Set()),
+      isRouteOpen: (
+        _discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+        connection: { requiresDiscovery: boolean },
+      ) => !connection.requiresDiscovery,
       discover: jest.fn(),
     } as unknown as WorldDiscoveryService;
     const service = new WorldService(
@@ -395,7 +401,11 @@ describe('WorldService', () => {
       find: findLocationMonsters,
     } as unknown as Repository<LocationMonster>;
     const worldDiscovery = {
-      isTravelAllowed: () => Promise.resolve(true),
+      getDiscoveredLocationIds: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Set()),
+      isRouteOpen: (
+        _discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+        connection: { requiresDiscovery: boolean },
+      ) => !connection.requiresDiscovery,
       discover: jest.fn(),
     } as unknown as WorldDiscoveryService;
     const service = new WorldService(
@@ -436,7 +446,11 @@ describe('WorldService', () => {
       find: findLocationMonsters,
     } as unknown as Repository<LocationMonster>;
     const worldDiscovery = {
-      isTravelAllowed: () => Promise.resolve(true),
+      getDiscoveredLocationIds: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Set()),
+      isRouteOpen: (
+        _discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+        connection: { requiresDiscovery: boolean },
+      ) => !connection.requiresDiscovery,
       discover: jest.fn(),
     } as unknown as WorldDiscoveryService;
     const service = new WorldService(
@@ -514,6 +528,8 @@ describe('WorldService', () => {
     ]);
     expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain('Fresh bootprints');
     expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain('Still sealed');
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain('discoversLocationKey');
+    expect(JSON.stringify(result)).not.toContain('ash-pit');
   });
 
   it('derives the encounter preview from the location monster pool', async () => {
@@ -620,7 +636,11 @@ async function loadLocation(
       find: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(pool),
     } as unknown as Repository<LocationMonster>,
     {
-      isTravelAllowed: () => Promise.resolve(true),
+      getDiscoveredLocationIds: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(new Set()),
+      isRouteOpen: (
+        _discoveredLocationIds: ReadonlySet<string>,
+        connection: { requiresDiscovery: boolean },
+      ) => !connection.requiresDiscovery,
       discover: jest.fn(),
     } as unknown as WorldDiscoveryService,
   );
diff --git a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
index ea36956..9b94c68 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/world/world.service.ts
@@ -87,15 +87,16 @@ export class WorldService {
       ? await this.getEncounterPool(location.id)
       : [];
 
-    const visibleConnections: LocationConnection[] = [];
-    for (const connection of connections) {
-      if (
+    // Loaded once per request rather than per connection: `isRouteOpen` is
+    // synchronous, so a location with several gated exits costs one query
+    // here instead of one per gated connection.
+    const discoveredLocationIds =
+      await this.worldDiscovery.getDiscoveredLocationIds(characterId);
+    const visibleConnections = connections.filter(
+      (connection) =>
         connection.enabled &&
-        (await this.worldDiscovery.isTravelAllowed(characterId, connection))
-      ) {
-        visibleConnections.push(connection);
-      }
-    }
+        this.worldDiscovery.isRouteOpen(discoveredLocationIds, connection),
+    );
 
     return {
       id: location.id,