diff --git a/changelog.txt b/changelog.txt
index a9ce8c2..7669294 100644
--- a/changelog.txt
+++ b/changelog.txt
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 30-August-2023
-- overmap: bare, but exists. player now starts on the overworld, and can move to local maps (like the old starting town) via >. can leave local maps back to the overmap by walking out of the map boundaries.
+- added dungeon features: grassy forest room, and barracks variants (bunks, squads of mobtypes)
+- added support for map messages: i.e. notifications for present dungeon features logged to chat every now and again
+
+Pre-29-August-2023
+- added overmap: bare, but exists. player now starts on the overworld, and can move to local maps (like the old starting town) via >. can leave local maps back to the overmap by walking out of the map boundaries.
 - mouse begone: support still there if wanted, but targeting/e(x)amining can now be done via keyboard only
-- config.toml: non-wasm builds read from config.toml at runtime, or generate a new copy if not present in the exe dir. includes options for logging various details to the console, and visual choices like post-processing effects, all-black bgs vs. full-coloured, etc.
-- morgue files: y/n prompt to write a morgue file on death (or write to console in the case of wasm), containing a map of the floor the player died on, class/race/attribute/etc. details, a fully identified backpack, and a list of significant events that took place this run w/ turn number 
+- added config.toml: non-wasm builds read from config.toml at runtime, or generate a new copy if not present in the exe dir. includes options for logging various details to the console, and visual choices like post-processing effects, all-black bgs vs. full-coloured, etc.
+- improved morgue files: y/n prompt to write a morgue file on death (or write to console in the case of wasm), containing a map of the floor the player died on, class/race/attribute/etc. details, a fully identified backpack, and a list of significant events that took place this run w/ turn number 
 - refactored colour offsets: now per-tile (and per-theme), instead of global. now can include varying fg/bg offset for every type of tile.
 - consistent chatlog colours: renderables for mobs, beatitude for items
-- rooms themes: grassy room theme proof-of-concept, propagates grass/foliage/etc. out from a room if rolled, and spawns themed mobs
+- dungeon features: framework
 - map identifiers (instead of displaying an incorrect depth) on ui: e.g. D1, D2, Town, Woods, etc.
 - bugfixes:
     - map params are saved on map transition, instead of only at creation. now bloodstains, vision, etc. will persist when changing between floors
diff --git a/src/data/messages.rs b/src/data/messages.rs
index ddd31e4..5847c14 100644
--- a/src/data/messages.rs
+++ b/src/data/messages.rs
@@ -43,3 +43,9 @@ pub const PLAYER_DIED_ADDENDUM_LAST: &str = ", and ";
 pub const STATUS_CONFUSED_STRING: &str = "confused";
 pub const STATUS_BLIND_STRING: &str = "blinded";
 // Results in something like: "You died! You were killed by a kobold captain, whilst confused."
+
+// Dungeon features
+pub const FEATURE_TREANTS: &str = "You feel an unusual freshness in the air.";
+pub const FEATURE_BARRACKS_GOBLIN: &str = "You hear an order being barked, and ignored.";
+pub const FEATURE_BARRACKS_KOBOLD: &str = "You hear someone being reprimanded for disobedience.";
+pub const FEATURE_BARRACKS_ORC: &str = "You hear someone barking orders.";
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index df00bdb..b99a7a2 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ impl GameState for State {
                     self.run_systems();
                     self.ecs.maintain();
                     try_spawn_interval(&mut self.ecs);
+                    maybe_map_message(&mut self.ecs);
                     match *self.ecs.fetch::<RunState>() {
                         RunState::AwaitingInput => {
                             new_runstate = RunState::AwaitingInput;
diff --git a/src/map/interval_spawning_system.rs b/src/map/interval_spawning_system.rs
index 838c27d..80e910e 100644
--- a/src/map/interval_spawning_system.rs
+++ b/src/map/interval_spawning_system.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,33 @@ use specs::prelude::*;
 use crate::data::events::*;
 
 const TRY_SPAWN_CHANCE: i32 = 70;
+const FEATURE_MESSAGE_CHANCE: i32 = 110;
+
+pub fn maybe_map_message(ecs: &mut World) {
+    let mut maybe_message = false;
+    let map = ecs.fetch::<Map>();
+    if map.messages.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+    // Scope for borrow checker (ECS)
+    {
+        let clock = ecs.read_storage::<Clock>();
+        let turns = ecs.read_storage::<TakingTurn>();
+        let mut rng = ecs.write_resource::<rltk::RandomNumberGenerator>();
+        for (_c, _t) in (&clock, &turns).join() {
+            if rng.roll_dice(1, FEATURE_MESSAGE_CHANCE) == 1 {
+                maybe_message = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if maybe_message {
+        let mut logger = gamelog::Logger::new();
+        for message in map.messages.clone() {
+            logger = logger.append(message);
+        }
+        logger.log();
+    }
+}
 
 pub fn try_spawn_interval(ecs: &mut World) {
     let mut try_spawn = false;
diff --git a/src/map/mod.rs b/src/map/mod.rs
index 0fcd0b4..0b31dc9 100644
--- a/src/map/mod.rs
+++ b/src/map/mod.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use std::collections::{ HashSet, HashMap };
 mod tiletype;
 pub use tiletype::{ tile_cost, tile_opaque, tile_walkable, TileType, get_dest, Destination };
 mod interval_spawning_system;
-pub use interval_spawning_system::try_spawn_interval;
+pub use interval_spawning_system::{ maybe_map_message, try_spawn_interval };
 pub mod dungeon;
 pub use dungeon::{ level_transition, MasterDungeonMap };
 pub mod themes;
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ pub struct Map {
     pub name: String,
     pub short_name: String,
     pub depth: i32,
+    pub messages: HashSet<String>,
     pub difficulty: i32,
     pub bloodstains: HashMap<usize, RGB>,
     pub view_blocked: HashSet<usize>,
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ impl Map {
             id: new_id,
             name: name.to_string(),
             short_name: short_name.to_string(),
+            messages: HashSet::new(),
             depth: depth,
             difficulty: difficulty,
             bloodstains: HashMap::new(),
diff --git a/src/map_builders/room_themer.rs b/src/map_builders/room_themer.rs
index 157edca..04720bb 100644
--- a/src/map_builders/room_themer.rs
+++ b/src/map_builders/room_themer.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use super::{ BuilderMap, MetaMapBuilder, Rect, TileType };
 use crate::tile_walkable;
+use crate::data::messages::{ FEATURE_TREANTS, FEATURE_BARRACKS_GOBLIN, FEATURE_BARRACKS_KOBOLD, FEATURE_BARRACKS_ORC };
 use crate::raws;
 use rltk::RandomNumberGenerator;
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ impl ThemeRooms {
                 }
             }
         }
+        build_data.map.messages.insert(FEATURE_TREANTS.to_string());
     }
 
     fn place_barracks(&mut self, rng: &mut RandomNumberGenerator, build_data: &mut BuilderMap, room: &Rect) {
@@ -75,9 +77,18 @@ impl ThemeRooms {
 
         let mut needs_captain = if rng.roll_dice(1, 3) == 1 { false } else { true };
         let (captain, squad) = match rng.roll_dice(1, 4) {
-            1 => ("goblin_chieftain", "squad_goblin"),
-            2 => ("kobold_captain", "squad_kobold"),
-            _ => ("orc_captain", "squad_orc"),
+            1 => {
+                build_data.map.messages.insert(FEATURE_BARRACKS_GOBLIN.to_string());
+                ("goblin_chieftain", "squad_goblin")
+            }
+            2 => {
+                build_data.map.messages.insert(FEATURE_BARRACKS_KOBOLD.to_string());
+                ("kobold_captain", "squad_kobold")
+            }
+            _ => {
+                build_data.map.messages.insert(FEATURE_BARRACKS_ORC.to_string());
+                ("orc_captain", "squad_orc")
+            }
         };
         for idx in possible {
             if idx % 2 == 0 && rng.roll_dice(1, 2) == 1 {