Caves~
a shielding effect~ No magic works inside

Or mountains could be the source of earth magic
cave a womb where earth elementals are born

On the desert~

perhaps there are pillars four in a square, five in a pentagon, or three triangulated- built by an evil sorcerous, they have the illusion of an oasis. Any wondering inside the perimeter are lost, captives to the magic, a source of energy perhaps

caverns and canyons could be areas of conflicting magic. A plane where sky magic, earth magic, and water magic collide, building a place of lies and deception. Human magic may have undesired effects, spells could change, friends become enemies

If you bathe in a certain lake, you can breathe under water until the next full moon.

A canyon where water flows uphill.

A flower that wilts in the presence of lies.

A hidden pond of water that's an aphrodisiac.

A cave that's totally black, lets no light out. If you hide in it, you cannot be seen. Nor can you see.

A mountain pass that leads to another realm. People come back, but down a different pass.

A mountain that you can only climb up. You cannot go down, except by jumping off it.

A mountain that casts a mirage that can be seen from anywhere. If you walk towards the mirage, for long enough, eventually you get to the real thing.

Trees that are made of wood so light that, if you make a boat from their trunks, it flies.

A desert with sand that, if it gets in your nostrils, gives you hallucinations.

A pond where, instead of your reflection, you can see your ancestors.

A canyon that fills with water when there's a full moon.

Okay, I'm out of ideas...for now.

A place where you remember everything, a pond where you gain immortality but can no longer have children, a desert area where the shifting sand shifts so fast that you are really walking in one place until you die of exhaustion and thirst. It does not matter which way you go unless you break up and all walk to the edges of the sand.

There's an article called Mysteries in the Mountains about a place in New Mexico that had a stone archway of andesite, with geodes nearby. The stone archway was reputed to be a portal. Andesite, I believe, figured in Aztec mythology as a stone of great power. Geodes are also reputed to have great power.

There is a book called "Love is in the Earth", author Melody (no last name) that is the bible of stone energy. You can get a host of magical ideas, just from reading about stone energy.

Do some Googling on "metaphysical stone energy" and you'll get some rough idea. Stones can convey energy that does everything from transmute emotions, to connecting with the star people and the gods, to enhancing psychic abilities, prosperity, love... whatever you seek to write about, there's a stone to facilitate the process.

That being said, I like the thought of powers that grow out of what geographical features, such as mountains, glaciers, rivers, etc, already do. Mountains already reach high up into the atmosphere, higher than most places, anyway, and might be places that store up air power, or the power to fly. Rivers are always carrying things from one point to another--why not have them be able to carry something that's not quite physical, like an illusory message or some such (I'd say spirits, but that's been done. Garth Nix, river of the dead. Also the river styx that the dead had to cross to get to hades.) Since trees go dormant during winter, certain trees might be able to let skilled humans pass through winters in them. There might be consequences for staying in them. Just a few ideas . . .

quote:

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Geography has everything to do with the earth's surface.

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And what part of the earth's surface does NOT involve rocks and dirt? Even rivers and oceans have beds made of stone.

A tree that everybody loves for no good reason.

A patch of dirt that grows gigantic plants

A waterfall that changes a person's skin color when they go under it.

A boulder that chases people but doesn't ever roll over them. (in honor of Indiana Jones.)

A fish that attracts a lot of attention but isn't really good for anything. (the infamous red herring.)

A cave (or place) with reverse gravity.

An unspeakably hot tree

A circle clearing that people can't leave once they enter. A trap.

A waffle iron in a place that hasn't even discovered iron yet.

(as to your first post, there isn't anything mystical about a desert where people disapear, that just happens with deserts.)

quote:

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(as to your first post, there isn't anything mystical about a desert where people disapear, that just happens with deserts.)

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Rivers that periodically change direction of flow (two lakes at opposite ends or something?)

---Properties of a forest---

Trees that when climbed begin to shrink (possibly never reverting)

Rocks that rise a few feet into the air if they become wet (you could pass over a river or such with something like this)

A flower that points towards living beings

Grass that grows longer with noise

Invisible moss (that can cover rocks and trees)

Small plant or flower that comes out of the ground each day, and goes back into the ground at night

Stones that absorb water
(possibly meshing with the floating stones) [amount of water absorbed = length of floatingness?] lol

Just a bunch of other random ideas to add to the awesome and crazy list.