My thoughts on your suggestions

Areas

Your ideas for mobs in the field are kind of irrelevant once you unlock full map flight. On top of that, those suggestiond are actually found in many different fates. I do agree that non-interactive fauna and npcs could fill the gap but again, once people unlock aetherytes and flight, all of that just seems to lose allure.
Counter-Suggestion: leave as is. Its enough.

Fates.
I just want to start by saying it took me a minute there to figure you meant wandering traders. Aside from that, I do wholly agree on the current situation with fates and I like your suggestion to remedy it. I think we can go a step further by adding a reputation system with the local npcs, especially the ones that are afflicted by the Fate monsters.

Hunts

I can't comment on hunts because I don't do them and my ideal version of it would kill the multiplayer aspect of it