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Question about the keys to the Dancing Hut that lead to Triaxus, but first a little prefacing:

Each pair of keys is clearly related in some way to the destination. For example: the lock of a frost giant’s beard is a reference to the frost giants that inhabit Iobaria (and Kostchtchie in particular), and the plague doctor’s mask is a reference to the constant plagues that have ravaged Iobaria for the entirety of its known history; the two-headed eagle is a reference to Imperial Russia’s coat of arms, and the bearskin is a reference to the Russian bear symbol that has been in use since the 16th century; the keys to Triaxus are a blue dragonscale and a gold nugget.

On one hand, the dragonscale is obvious (Triaxus is dominated by dragons and dragonkin), but why blue? What specifically about blue dragons and their kin would specifically lead the hut to plop down on Triaxus? Wouldn’t a white dragonscale make more sense? And why a gold nugget? That’s the one key out of the six that I *really* can’t figure out at all. I’ve read through the entire AP multiple times, and I feel like I’m missing something obvious.

Having the keys make logical sense (if only in retrospect) would really enhance the feeling of verisimilitude for my players that are deep in the lore, and eventually might lead to them trying to determine the keys to other destinations beyond the scope of this adventure, which I would encourage.

My players are getting ready to take on Nal-Shakar, and I’ve been running it largely as-written, except some minor course corrections to get folks back on the rails when they do something the AP didn’t anticipate. They know SOMETHING big is up in the colony, but they don’t know what. They trust literally no one, they think Ramona is completely incompetent, they think Carver is shady. The only other person in the colony that they’ve been relying on is Medrinnah, who they hired to be their little Harriet the Spy whenever they inevitably have to leave the colony. Except, the colony is so jacked up that they don’t really WANT to leave to take on Nal-Shakar, even though they’ve bought the red herring, hook, line, and sinker. So they’re in a perfect state of conflict and paranoia that things are going to go pear shaped at home if they leave (it won’t, they’ve been through all the colony events, and the last part will wait until they get back), but they can’t find the missing colonists if they stay.

The impending sense of doom that they all have is perfect, and they are constantly on their toes, not knowing where the next threat is coming from.

Questions for the hivemind...

I’m not quite in a bind yet, but I will be when my group gets to Book 4. I need some suggestions for how to tailor Talasantri’s reactions to the party, as every single one of them is an aquatic race, and much of the conflict In Book 4 is contingent on the party being comprised of “surfacers” who are “not welcome,” looked upon with suspicion by the natives. I thought about the possibility of the city just being particularly xenophobic and untrusting of anyone who doesn’t actually live there, but I’m not sure that’s a convincing story, in consideration of the fact that Koloshkora the locathah dropped in Book 2 that her tribe regularly makes trips back and forth between Okoloro and Talasantri.

I suppose there’s the added fact that the PCs’ manner of dress (and culture) is largely that of a surface dweller, even though they’re all amphibious races, so I guess I could just have people in the city constantly calling them surfacers, even though they’re technically not. But they’re not “real” sea-people, either. Too aquatic for the land, too terrestrial for the sea.

I know I sort of maybe answered some of my own quandaries here, but I want to know if anyone has any other ideas or suggestions that might make Book 4 make more sense in light of party composition, to the players, the characters, and me.

Thanks y’all.

This might be deserving of its own post, but I have a query regarding Boots of the Earth;

Campaign Clarifications/Additional Resources sez:

"The boots of the earth can be activated once per day."

Inner Sea Gods sez:

"As a move action, the wearer can plant her feet and draw strength from the earth, gaining fast healing 1..." (etc. etc.)

So, clearly, Boots of the Earth can only be activated 1/day, but nowhere is there a mention of duration. For how long does the user get Fast Healing 1 (etc.)? 1 round? 1 minute? Indefinitely, as long as the user doesn't move?