Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Lemon summoning circle

We swore vengeance against the goblins last time, but we were too few to attempt a direct attack... we continued exploring the 2nd level instead (after spending some time selling our trash loot, obviously).

We started off in the direction indicated by Yekk to be the first Xanatar outpost. The first thing we found (besides an abandoned water pump) was a wooden puppet looking like Halaster, hunched over a workbench, mixing alchemical ingredients. We tried speaking to it in every shape and form, but got nothing except threats of fire and thunder, and that it was working on magic. The ingredients were all harmless stuff actually, so we left it with thoughts of taking it back to the surface and sell it later.

Next we came upon the former Xanatar camp, with all the goblins dead and looted by the Fine Fellows of Daggerford, who were kind enough to leave a message on the wall. We did collect their insignia and got a scroll with a small nonsensical phrase on it: "As many as stars in the sky"

Next up an excellent place to lose some time: an empty room with an enchanted organ singing all by itself. It radiated conjuration and necromancy. We tried at it in a lot of ways, until Szivem noticed the musical notes written on the wall, and tried to play them on the organ. At this, the instrument opened up to reveal a scroll of Raise Dead. No clerics among us anymore, sadly.

We backtracked to find an abandoned and dusty laboratory with nothing of use inside, except a door to an abandoned kitchen. There, we were immediately attacked by animated kitchen utensils![1] This fight was quite entertaining. I "killed" the ladle and a knife immediately rose, so I concluded that it's pointless. Fortunately, other party members noticed more stuff, including an exit to another room. But more on that later.

Szivem had a spare paddle for some reason, which she used to lift a huge cauldron hiding a specter. We set upon it, and it died quickly. The animated utensils fell to the ground at the same time. But not before a small concert, with a cauldron landing on Selene's head, then the other implements banging on it for good effect.

On to the door, with the text "Do not enter unless your name is Halaster" written on it. Obviously, we entered. Two items of note were the chest and the half-erased summoning circle. Selene's wand of secrets indicated the chest to be trapped, but I managed to bypass with a high enough thieves' tools roll. The chest only contained a scroll saying "Retirement fund. Don't spend it all on ale. Kalabash"

I then worked on remaking on the summoning circle[2], at which point the session ended.

[1] This led to this evening's quote: "The ladle must make a wisdom saving throw!"

[2] Which we joked about, marking this session's title.