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As always, the daunting Cornucopia gleams in the center of the Arena. Though shiny and stocked with all sorts of useful items, it's hardly an inviting object; taller than three people stacked together and infinitely less alive than the wicker it's made to resemble, it makes an imposing figure. Don't be scared off, though, because the Cornucopia — or, more to the point, the items inside it — might just be your salvation. Every year the contents are different, but tributes can always count on something useful, whether it's food, weapons, rope, or something they aren't even sure how to use at first.

The Monolith, which tributes can encounter on their way from the Cornucopia to the lifeless northwester region, is not overly impressive. In a way this tall rock reminiscent of last year's pillars, except that there's only one and it's a fair bit bigger. A single grey rock, taller than any of the tributes, it holds no clear purpose; the cover it grants is scant, the land around it is bare, and the rock itself is plain and hard. Perhaps it's a landmark for some strange mutt; maybe it's a disguised Capitol weapon; for all the tributes know, it could be an alien ship's landing point. Whatever it is, it's in the Arena, so it can't be good news.

Across the Cornucopia from the ominous volcano lies a stretch of mostly-empty land, seemingly an extension of the barren field to the northwest. One thing sets this area apart from the other vacant regions: a single geyser that spurts boiling water and smoke into the air at seemingly-random intervals. Tributes willing to wait might be able to get drinking water from this place, but it's a dangerous proposition, as the water here is hot enough to scald a person's skin off with no trouble.

Despite offering little more cover than the barren plains, this area may be the hardest to cross. Every size of rock, from tiny pebbles to small boulders, can be found strewn across the field at random intervals. Sometimes the way they're strewn about seems designed specifically to trip unsuspecting tributes, making it hard to get through at any speed. Savvy tributes might find a way to make the rocks into useful tools, but for most people, they're probably just going to be annoying.

No matter where in the Arena you are, you can look toward the southwest region and see an ominous cloud. Should you choose to go closer, it will soon become apparent that this formidable mass is not in fact a proper cloud, but a constant stream of ash rising from the top of a volcano. Huge and grey, the smoking mountain looms over landscape threateningly, reminding everyone that while it may not be erupting this very moment, it's certainly not dormant.

If spectators thought the field of grain from the last Games was boring, their heads are about to explode. This particular region, placed northwest from the Cornucopia, is even more empty. Vast expanses of land, adorned only be occasional gouges or a slight change in elevation, leave no room to hide and no supplies to be fathered. On the bright side, there's no need to be worried about what's hiding within those trees to your left... but is that really worth going stir crazy from sheer monotony?

Tributes who make the trek across empty land and skirt around the geyser to the northern half of the Arena's west may be excited to find a lake waiting for them. After all, in years past water from lakes has sometimes been the winning tributes' salvation. Unfortunately for this year's tributes, however, there is no water here; it may look like it from far away, but get close and the green colour of the liquid becomes apparent. The effects of the liquid are not immediately apparent, but it's not exactly an inviting brew. You could try drinking it, but that may not be a risk worth taking.

Some tributes feel a vague sort of discomfort as they pass the mysterious Monolith, or take one look at the Volcano and back away. When it comes to indefinable disturbance, though, neither of those places has anything on the Chutes. Great yawning pits, these holes become tunnels that lead down into a blackness that no one standing on the ground can see far into. Should a person choose to enter- or trip inside, as the entrances are steep enough to make escape impossible- they will find themselves utterly lost. Unless they have a flashlight, it will be pitch black, and even those who bring light won't be able to discern much. The tunnels are leading somewhere... but where?

If one flees south from the volcano — or stumbles past it after one too many mushrooms — they will find a welcome change of scenery: a forest of pine trees. After last year's tree-laden Arena, this small forest seems rather pitiful, but it still offers more cover than any other place in the Arena. However, that's no guarantee of safety. Trees here seem slightly wilted, their trunks pallid and their needles, particularly those near the volcano, marred by a thin layer of ash. Tributes shouldn't let the apparent protection of greenery lull them, for a false sense of security may well be their downfall.

Who doesn't love mushrooms? These little stalks provide some of the only colour in a rather bleak landscape; petite but fairly tall, they are hard to miss and seem rather more cheerful than the barren grey fields to their north or the hulking, angry-looking mountain to their south. Tributes are likely to be more cheerful after passing through here, too, although it's hard to say whether that's because of the bright colours or any interesting effects from eating the things.