Environmental Features:

All environments have their own potential hazards and dangers, categories of which are listed in the previous post. However, there are usually features of interest which draw individuals to areas, despite the hazards.

1. Structures: Subterranean or above-ground, structures dominate much of the civilized worlds. Cities, villages, catacombs, farms, bridges and other features of structural engineering are very important. Without shelter, any precipitation or wind would cut into any species sleeping under the stars. While caves and other natural forms of shelter may be found, creating structures is key to civilization. They also can keep wild animals and plants at bay, or keep them contained within, if left as pets or traps for bothersome adventurers or salesmen. Structures tend to be further divided by their functionality for definition to most species. For the sake of deciding on its potential residents, a Game Master may designate the status of the structure at present. These are generally one of the following: 1) Currently used as storage, such as a warehouse.  2) Ruined or abandoned, which can be any type of structure. 3) Used for the gathering or construction of resources, such as a lumbermill and a carpentry shop. 4) Occupied, such as residences.
2. Caverns: Much like structures, caverns can be used for shelter, though mostly in civilized society they are either left alone or used for mining. Caverns may have creatures, homeless or traveling individuals in them, as well as current or abandoned mining operations. Some may even house the laboratories or other hidden chambers of deranged individuals, or serve as an escape route from a nearby structure.
3. Liquid Features: Oceans, Seas, Bays, Lakes, Rivers, Channels, Canals. All traverse-able paths of water are waterways. Springs, streams, and creeks are other paths, but too small to travel on via a boat. Waterfalls, Sewers and Fountains are also water features. Underground there may also be water features, but there may also be lava tunnels, oil and other liquid features.
4. Flora and Fauna: Plants and animals of the local area are something often recognized by the native NPCs. When one arrives that is unknown to them, and disaster rises, many NPCs will assume the new creature or plant is to blame, and if unable to deal with the problem themselves, submit their pleas of help to passing adventurers.
5. Terrain and Biomes: The slope, elevation and changes in the lay of the land greatly affect what kind of plants and animals will make an area their home, and as a result, how difficult it is for intelligent species to setup a home there. Biomes are definitions of various ecosytems, involving the climate of an area, the types of flora and types of fauna that may be found there, and their spacing. The more varied a biome is from its normal expected appearance, the more curious it should be to NPCs and characters encountering the changes, and the sight of familiar types of land may stir memories or remind some characters about potential benefits or dangers.
6. Leylines, Magic Foci, Magic Wastes and Magic Wilderness:  Leylines, as detailed in the introductory post, are sources of strong magic.  They typically end up filled with Magic Foci absorbing some of the magical energies saturating the area, but some may be nearly barren of Magic Foci, causing either Magic Wastes or Magic Wilderness.  Both of these can also occur if the Magic Foci of an area are unable to retain any more magical energy and magical pulses are extremely potent.  Magic Wastes are areas where magic builds up underground barely accessible until a pulse which releases almost all of the built up magic at once.  This has an effect of killing off anything unable to handle the energies, usually leaving only hostile species there, and the magic itself is far too dangerous for most to access due to how unstable it is.  Magic Wastes are best only traveled through if protected, as the effects of the magic of the area almost always corrupt and warp the denizens and travelers in it.  Magic Wilderness, on the other hand, has more frequent magic pulses, but less powerful as those in Magic Wastes.  Magic Wilderness areas tend to have more magical creatures there that use magic on a regular basis, and as such are greatly guarded by those who wish to protect the beauty of these lands.
7. The Unknown:  The simple act of discovering something new, even at a risk, drives many on to adventure.  There may be additional environmental features not listed thus far either not yet discovered by any who survived to tell about it, or be a guarded secret spoken of only in whispers.