[Outpost VIII] Mistress of the Maze (Inactive)

Game Master Super Zero

Nature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

"Rakshasa? I've heard of them but I don't quite know what they are..." Kat says thoughtfully.

Avery Nature: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
At this point it only really matters if you critically fail, so I'll just...
A failure, but there's no particular consequence for individual failure, and without Nevashi adding a third intentional failure that's only two--pass for the party.

"Well, maybe closer to 50," says Eliza consolingly, "and to be clear I mean this area with the runes and the gates. We traveled farther before that. And I think we're almost out of it--these things usually come in threes.

"A rakshasa is a kind of fiend, not as well known as demons and devils. I think that was a rakshasa. They're more vulnerable to stabbing, so that fits with Avery's arrows piercing his defenses better then anything else you threw at him."

Eliza's prediction proves true, and through the final gate the maze looks normal and everything transitions back to more solid forms. Including some of the runes of magic that swirl around the Pathfinders, crystalizing into a physical state--though some of them seem damaged and crumble to dust. These might be of interest to the right collector or mage, and therefore potentially valuable!

And a Hero Point for Narkru.

The seemingly natural pathway of this stretch of the maze is suddenly filled with gleaming, razor-edged objects. Each construct appears as a floating musical note, scribed from a minstrel’s playbook and etched upon the very air.

They're in the way. They look sharp, and they're obviously made of unstable magic... on the other hand they would probably make for interesting samples. The only other viable sample here are more of those crystallized phytoliths--the ones that Nevashi suggested the party collect.

Someone could probably move past one of them very carefully, and might even be able to shift them out of the way (or into Eliza's stabilization device). (Acrobatics) On the other hand.. are those notes spelling out a measure of music, if you look at them the right way? (Performance)

Trying to perform the music looks like it might be a little easier.

Map

"You do not want me to sing. That is not my specialty."

Narkru tries to tip-toe carefully, which looks almost a bit silly for someone of her size.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Acrobatics(E): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

Can you retroactively add +2 to Nakru's check from Follow the Expert?

EDIT - EEEEK!

Sure--still a failure, though.

Narkru almost slips past one of the notes, but she brushes against it and it bursts. Shards of crystal slice past her.
slashing damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

Kat's experience is quite similar.
slashing damage: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6

On the plus side, it's easier to get past the notes when there are fewer of them. On the other hand, it's harder to read the music when some of the notes are missing.
Each destroyed note reduces the Acrobatics DC but increases the Performance DC. With two destroyed, Acrobatics is now easier.

Depending on how much time we have, Kat has an Aeon Stone so the damage is a non-issue unless something blows up at us

Earth armor gives resist 3 slashing, and I also have the same aeon stone as Kat so depending on time, may also heal that damage

Hancock tries to take a different path the bumblers before him. The whole set up kinda reminds him of the game 'Duck and Weave' from his childhood.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Bumblers?! :)

"Let see what I can do." Avery tells them. She pirroutes her way through the path of gleaming, razor-edged objects.

Acrobatics (T): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Can I make another attempt?

Hancock and Avery both manage to gently move the notes without breaking them, and maneuver them into the stabilization device for collecting.

I assume, since you rejected collecting a phytolith before and have since confirmed that "Rindle" was working against you--though you can just move them out of the way if that's your intent.

Only one remains.
And yes, anybody can attempt the Acrobatics (easier) or Performance (harder) check.

Kat makes another attempt (mainly to not be referred to as a bumbler by Hancock! ;) )

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

Kat executes her maneuver so flawlessly that she could probably have collected two notes.. if there were two left to collect.

"We only really needed one anyway," says Eliza, though she secures the third nonetheless.

Hancock grunts with approval.

After her stumble, Narkru stands and dusts herself off. Then she gathers that dust into a thin form of earth. "Well. Shall we proceed? And farther than 100 feet as well?"

Narkru channel elements in mild embarrassment.

The party travels on, and for a bit the Maze looks relatively normal--certainly long enough for the Pathfinders' healing aeon stones to heal the scratches from the exploding notes before they come to the next strange sight.

Masses of green crystallized sap form archways and honeycombs around a portal that has clearly been repaired and possibly augmented. Patterns of rigid luminous light mark the earth of the maze, frame various topiaries, and intersect around the base of each plant. Hovering spherical creatures survey the lengths of nearby topiary walls. At the center of the aperture hovers a living cloud made of shimmering runes and light.

The leader here (you can tell she's the boss because she isn't doing any actual work) is a woman who at first glance appears to be an elf. That assessment is clearly wrong, however.

She hurries over. She seems friendly and curious about the Pathfinders, but her speech is peppered with overly complicated, exactingly logical statements and mathematical expressions that make it a little difficult to parse. It seems like her team is eagerly working in this area to build a bridge from Axis into the maze. It’s unclear whether the axiomite realizes that they’ve spilled out of their native plane and into extraplanar space, but she is determined to restructure the area until it resembles the rest of Axis’s perfect order.

New map added.
The Pathfinders might try Diplomacy (or something like Axis Lore or Engineering Lore) to convince the Axiomite that this area does not blong to them, and that imposing order without the owners' permission is highly chaotic... or something along those lines.

Hancock looks ready to smack them back to the Axis plane, but Bruce steps forward.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

"Do you know where you are? This is the open maze and belongs to the Pathfinder Society! What are you doing to the gate?"

Avery inspects their work, checking if the bridge is suitable to be built in the Maze.

Crafting: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

"Hmm, I don't think the bridge you are building suits well in the maze." Avery shares her thoughts with the axiomite.

"There's just too much... symmetry." She shrugs, tossing her arms up in dismay before turning away from the bridge inspection.

Crafting: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Kat attempts to tell the creature that normal engineering principles don't apply here but she herself can't make heads or tails of what's going on.

Follow the Expert available for Acrobatics, Medicine and Crafting, in case anyone needs the +2

"You are mistaken. This is a gate within Axis, and must be restored to perfect order," the Axiomite answers Bruce, "As time approaches infinity, symmetry must approach one."

Though she considers Avery's words more carefully. "Maze. Yes. A Maze may seem chaotic, but there is an important pattern to the asymmetry. There is perhaps a lack of cohesion in our construction--and the lack of symmetry may suggest we are in error." She looks out and considers the rest of the hedge maze. "We may be expanding beyond our allotted territory, and that would be a critical mistake. We must proceed no further. As time X approaches infinity, our work Y must approach zero to enable the cessation of inappropriate expansion. Apologies. I can escort you through this area." She takes several baubles out of her belt pouches, perfectly symmetrical metallic formations of gold and silver. "This does explain why these were so unruly before our presence rendered order to them. I should return them to you, then, as apology for our intrusion."

"Oh, I'll take one of those as a sample," says Eliza, "but you should hang on to the rest, they should be valuable!"

Narkru, Avery has already succeeded, but if you'd like to try for a critical success feel free--though there could also be a consequence for a critical failure.

Narkru stands silently, not looking to throw things out of the symmetry that these people appreciate. She follows Eliza once she gets another sample.

Let's not risk making these folks mad. I'm good.

The axiomite leads the party through, and for a short distance the Maze seems relatively normal again. But then things start to look off. Sundered topiary beasts and tumorous growths of the maze’s vegetation are torn free from the walls and floors, fed into a swirling nothingness by rampaging proteans. This segment of the maze has been shattered by a rift. The Pathfinders find themselves quite suddenly in the middle stone island.

“Sorry my friends!" says Eliza, "It looks like this area has been overtaken by the forces of chaos made manifest. It looks like our route forward is the same as our route back. We’ll need to use those seedlings growing about to reconnect the broken shards of stone and change the destination of this portal we’re standing on!”

Pathfinders with her experience take these things in stride. Apparently. Eliza’s brow furrows in concentration as the stabilization device’s magic is assaulted by the swirling chaos all around.

"If you have healing potions or elixirs, you might be able to restore the plants quickly, and then we wouldn't need to worry about our friends there." Three proteans have taken interest int he Pathfinders. "But on the other hand, if you defeat the proteans you'll be able to work on the plants at your leisure."

There are two worm-like creatures that appear to be the same thing that Mr. Chitters was under his disguise. The third one is similar, but notably larger. Giggling madly, they move to attack!

Hancock's turn. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 90+9/90 HP)
Blue Voidworm (Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 70/70 HP)

Is anyone surprised when Hancock launches into an attack on the yellow voidworm?

Hancock severely damages the largest worm, but he doesn't destroy it. This one seems considerably more durable then the smaller ones.
Two hits, second hit bloodies it.

The blue-est worm waggles its tendrils and utters some gibberish. Casting a spell? Thick mist suddenly envelops the central island, making it hard to be quite certain exactly where anything is.
◆◆◆ Cast obscuring mist. All creatures in the mist are concealed, and creatures outside the mist are concealed to creatures within it. Even if the aren't using the concealment to hide, targeting a concealed creature requires a DC 5 flat check.

Avery, Kaitlyn, and Narkru's turns. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 90+9/90 HP)
Blue Voidworm (Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 70/70 HP)
Yellow Voidworm (-50 HP, bloodied, Small)
Red Voidworm (Tiny)

Narkru pulls out a bottle from the fallen Rindle’s sack and pours it onto the vines. She then summons a nearby rock to attempt to throw it in the direction of that yellow void worm that Hancock is beating on.

◆ Take out healing potion
◆ Feed healing potion to vines
◆ Channel elements, one action blast toward yellow

Flat Check: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Elemental Blast, bludgeoning: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 252d8 + 4 ⇒ (8, 1) + 4 = 13

"I'll take care of the hostilities!" Avery shouts through the mist.

Avery makes Blue Voidworm as her prey and launches an arrow at it after calling her owl for support.
DC 5 Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 1 vs Concealment
+1 Striking Fearsome Sukgung Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 vs Target (becomes Frightened 1 at Crit Fail)
Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 8) = 11 P damage
Precision Edge: 1d8 ⇒ 8 precision P damage to Prey the first time hit in the round
Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2 precision P damage to Off-guard target

◆ Hunt Prey
◆ Command An Animal
◆ Strike

Sophia flies toward the Blue Voidworm and gives it a scratchy scratchy

◆ Fly
◆ Support

Kat steps towards two of the seedlings and treats them.

◆ Step
◆ Medicine (Assurance 20)
◆ Medicine (Assurance 20)

Narkru pours a healing potion on one of the seeds. It bursts dramatically to life, vines growing from it and binding the central island to one of the smaller ones, forming a bridge.

The same thing happens to two more of them as Kat treats them.

Narkru manages to clobber the larger voidworm, but Avery's arrow doesn't quite connect--she has the distinct impression that the fog isn't hindering the proteans. They must be able to "see" in some way other then sight.

This proves true as the larger yellowish one strikes at Hancock, lashing him with its tails. There's something disorienting about it, and Hancock sees double! But so does everybody else, because it's split into two smaller voidworms, the same size as the others. They don't even look hurt any more, but then it broke apart where it was damaged.
◆ Strike spiraling tails: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22, hits for slashing damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 and spirit damage: 1d12 ⇒ 4 and DC 22 Will vs Stupefied 1 (immunity on success)
◆ Fly
◆ Divide

The remaining little one flies towards Narkru and buzzes around her face. It whips her with its tail, which fails to cut through her stony protection but she still feels the disorienting surge of chaos. It also tries to bite her, but she does not allow it.
◆ Fly
◆ Strike Tail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25, hits for slashing damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 (resisted) and spirit damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3, and DC Will vs Stupefied 1 (immunity on success)
◆ Strike Jaws: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 9 - 5 = 6, misses

Hancock's turn. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 90/90 HP, DC 22 Will vs Stupefied 1)
Blue Voidworm (Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia (AC 23, 52/52 HP)
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 67/70 HP, DC 16 Will vs Stupefied 1)
Yellow Voidworm (Tiny)
Orange Voidworm (Tiny)
Red Voidworm (Tiny)

DC 22 will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Just because it split doesn't mean he's changing tactics. Oh no! He clobbers orange until it is blown to bits.

Hancock pulverizes one of them. The other one seems to be barely hanging on.
Don't forget the Concealment flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 5 or Concealment flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 10. Well, no matter then.
A crit for 58 damage destroys one. 16 also hits, so the second one takes 15 damage. 12 misses, though.

The bluest one swoops at Sophia. It lashes out with its tail--fruitlessly.
◆ Fly
◆ Strike tail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18, miss
◆ Strike tail: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 5 = 8, miss

Avery, Kat, and Narkru's turns. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 90/90 HP, immune to Confounding Lash)
Blue Voidworm (Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia (AC 23, 52/52 HP)
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 67/70 HP, DC 16 Will vs Stupefied 1)
Yellow Voidworm (-15 HP, bloodied, Tiny)
Red Voidworm (Tiny)

Will: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

As the little red one bites, some of the earth flakes off and begins to clog and cover the worm.

↺ Calcifying Sand - DC 21 Fort save.

Success: unaffected.
Fail: slowed 1 until the end of its next turn.
Crit Fail: petrified until the end of its next turn.

She pulls out the last of the three bottles and pours it onto another seed. She literally kicks rocks at the little red worm that is pestering her.

◆ Take out last healing potion
◆ Feed healing potion to vines
◆ Channel elements, one action bludgeoning blast toward red
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Elemental Blast, bludgeoning: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 262d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 2) + 4 = 11

Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Narkru binds another island with growing vines. She also knocks the protean that attacked her out of the air. She succumbs to the mild confusion, but avoids the effect by simply not doing anything that requires much concentration until it passes. The voidworms' disappointment is palpable.
That's a crit, which takes it out. I don't think I specified, the Stupefied condition only lasts one round

Avery and Kat's turns. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 90/90 HP, immune to Confounding Lash)
Blue Voidworm (Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia (AC 23, 52/52 HP)
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 67/70 HP)
Yellow Voidworm (-15 HP, bloodied, Tiny)

Hancock has supernatural senses, so the lack of vision does not bother him all that much. so...

concealment flat check, DC 3: 1d20 ⇒ 19
second concealment flat check, DC 3: 1d20 ⇒ 10

yea, he knew right where it was.

Kat moves up and treats another pair of seedlings.

◆ Stride
◆ Medicine
◆ Medicine

Avery tries to recall what she is missing with her encounter with the Blue Voidworm.

◆ Recall Knowledge about Blue Voidworm's ability that she might know (Occultism or Arcana +11 / Religion or Nature +12, w Dubious Knowledge)

She then commands her owl to attack and fly away from the Blue Voidworm,
DC 5 Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 12 vs concealment
Jaws Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25 vs Blue Voidworm
Damage: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 5) + 3 = 10 P damage

◆ Command An Animal (◆ Strike, ◆ Fly)

She then holds her weapon with two hands to give it more punch.

◆ Interact to change grip

Kat restores two more of the vines binding the islands together. Only two seedlings remain.

Avery remembers that voidworms are a low caste of proteans, the result of the chaotic energies of the Maelstrom--enough that other proteans consider it an insult to call them "proteans" at all. They have such a good intuition for chaotic probabilities that they can predict exactly where creatures will be even if they can't actually see them.
Their fluctuating anatomy can also make it hard to affect them. They heal quickly (fast healing, not regeneration), they're immune to being polymorphed against their will, and if blinded or deafened they recover quickly as they simply grow new, undamaged eyes and ears. If damaged by acid, electricity, or sonic energy they become resistant to that energy--but only to one at a time, so this defense can be overcome by using multiple types.
Their mutable anatomy also means precision isn't as effective as it is against more stable creatures, though that's more something Sophia learns practically then something Avery recalls.
Sophia and her target were both outside of the mist when she attacked, so she doesn't need the flat check--although that succeeded anyway. That's a hit that bloodies it.
Blue was your prey, so she also gets Precision Edge: 1d8 ⇒ 1, although it resists precision damage so... 1 isn't enough.

Unbothered by its gaping wounds, the yellow-er one continues to focus on Hancock. Though it just bites him now that he's resisted its lash. Its wound does seem to be closing... much faster then natural healing for most creatures, though still probably too slowly for it to matter.
◆ Fly
◆ Strike Jaws: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27, hits for piercing: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3 and spirit damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1
◆ Strike Jaws: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 5 = 9, critical failure

Hancock's turn. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 96/90 HP, immune to Confounding Lash)
Blue Voidworm (-10 HP, bloodied, Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia (AC 23, 52/52 HP)
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 67/70 HP)
Yellow Voidworm (-14 HP, bloodied, Tiny)

Not interested in healing a bunch of plants when there is a melee going on.

Hancock disintegrates one of the voidworms. At the edge of the mist, he also sees a... monkey fly by? No, a statue of a monkey. And a banana peel. Probably. It's hard to tell through the mist.
Your first attack hits and takes it out. Your next attack would have (critically) missed anyway (oh, twice over), but feel free to move before taking your next turn.

The last voidworm moves up to Kaitlyn and whirls around her head. It lashes at her with its tail while cursing at her in an unfamiliar tonuge, but she's too nimble for it to hit.
◆ Fly
◆ Strike Tail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14, critical failure
◆ Strike Tail: 1d29 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (24) + 9 - 5 = 28, hit for... wait. Oh, that's a typo. Tail: 1d20 + 9 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 5 = 16, miss
If anyone speaks Protean, speak up--although it didn't have anything interesting to say anyway.

All PCs' turns. You can interact to pour a healing potion or elixir of life on one of the seedlings to restore it. You can also attempt a Medicine check as an action (counts as Treat Wounds if you have anything that modifies that action).
Hancock (AC 22, 96/90 HP, immune to Confounding Lash)
Blue Voidworm (-9 HP, bloodied, Tiny)
Avery (AC 24/25, 72/72 HP)
- Sophia (AC 23, 52/52 HP)
Kat (AC 25, 80/80 HP)
Narkru (AC 24, 67/70 HP)

Narkru takes a step over, stretches her arm and picks up a large piece of rock with a sharp point and flings it toward the last worm reaching over Avery's head.

◆Stride
◆◆ 2 action Elemental Blast, Piercing; weapon infusion reach
Flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Elemental Blast, piercing: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 322d8 + 8 ⇒ (8, 3) + 8 = 19

Using hero point to reroll flat check
Flat Check reroll: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Narkru splatters the last voidworm into powder.
Yes, splatters to powder. It's a creature made of chaos, it doesn't do anything predictably.

Annoyingly, the mist doesn't immediately dissipate. But it's also easy enough for the Pathfinders (mostly Kaitlyn, presumably) to finish healing the vines.

As the pieces of the island are bound back together, the Pathfinders return abruptly to the Maze--along with a shower of entirely random assorted items thrown across the planar border. Along with worthless detritus like the banana peel and a large-ish, entirely ordinary rock, the Pathfinders can find some potentially valuable items like a tarnished gold ring, a bottle of aged brandy, a masterwork pesh pipe, and a platinum sculpture of a howler monkey.

"Oh can I just have the rock?" asks Eliza, "And if you managed to hold onto a bit of those vines..."

An idyllic meadow materializes, its borders marked by the easily identified bushes and topiaries of the Maze of the Open Road. The area seems free of planar intrusions or magical distortions, without a single living thing in sight.

This location seems to present a section of stable maze. Eliza hopes to gather samples from this space as a baseline to compare against more disrupted areas. "And if you need some rest, I think now's your chance," she adds, "Though I think we're nearly through. This area seems safe and calm enough that I think I can collect a sample without help."

Wary of what might be lurking ahead, Kat pulls out her crossbow and loads a bolt.

After a couple of minutes walking, Narkru looks fine. ”What else do you think we need?” She asks Eliza.

Hancock resumes his normal slouch and bandages himself back to full health.

Oh, there is a map for this area. You probably don't really need it, but I went ahead and put it up on Slide 2.
This is where Nevashi attacks the party if they haven't figured him out yet. We've already done that battle.

"Well," says Eliza in a strained voice, "I could use a hand or two over here." She's on her knees, trying awkwardly to look at something she's found under the hedge while still holding the stabilization device.

It's a body. A young halfling in adventurer's gear, with a face the party has seen before though they have never met him. On his chest is another corpse, a squirrel that was torn in two. He appears to have been stabbed in the back.

"Well, I did say that I expected this," Eliza says with a sigh. "I don't have hands--if somebody could grab the bag that's clipped on my belt, there? It's a magic bag. You never know when it'll come in handy. Not always for a body though more often then I'd like.

"If you can get them into the bag and put it back on my belt, you don't have to worry about it after that. I'll handle talking to his Venture-Captain."

Hancock is busy tending his wounds, but if the others have trouble loading up a halfling, he will lend a hand.

Narkru easily lowers down, bracing her legs and getting into a firm position. ◆◆ Activate Lifting Belt. With a silent brace, she easily lifts the corpse and slides it into the expandable bag before closing the flap and slipping it back on Eliza's belt.

Kat gasps. "Is that...?" her voice trailing off.