And if that "Slightly dangerous" thing happened to lead to self-preservation?
The point of self-preservation is that it's an active plan to get to Halsin, hoping, praying that he might be able to offer a cure. It's not tripping into something that happens to lead into self-preservation.
The danger has to be weighed. You bring up the Blood of Lathander. Obviously, this is presented as a powerful artifact. It's going to entice people because people like powerful artifacts. Thus the danger is weighed versus the possibility of retrieving the mace.
Pressing a button. Buttons are meant to be pressed. There's no narrator telling you the button is dangerous. So again, you weigh the perceived danger versus--in this case--curiosity.
It's not about using meta knowledge. It's about what folks are likely to do in certain situations. Certainly adventurers are less risk averse than most, but generally there's rhyme and reason behind decisions. Assuming the decisions are being made by people who are serious-minded and sane. And to reiterate: without meta knowledge.
You see a swirling mass of chaotic magic. It looks slightly dangerous. What do you do? "I touch it!" <--it's ridiculous on its face.
Between arguing meta points about "knowing how the DM is" and painting everything as "dangerous" regardless of the motivation, I don't think you're engaging in a fair manner.
