Cascade Laboratories

Cascade Laboratories is a major sector of the GATE Cascade Research Facility dedicated to advanced study, containment, and the study of anomalies, xenoforms, paranormal phenomena, arcane entities and notable artefacts. The sector comprises multiple laboratory suites, small offices, recreational areas and the Containment Blocks that hold Immurement Subjects (IS) recovered from various Anteverses or discovered on Earth. Because many experiments are classified, only the Wildlife Pens are publicly mapped, but Cascade Laboratories functions as the epicenter of Cascade research and secure immurement for entities rated up to Thela level.

The facility shows clear evidence of large-scale combat between GATE and the Order: damaged walls, destroyed equipment and numerous casualties appear across the complex. The Dark Lens, located in the Lens Epicenter, was the principal target of the Order assault; its removal caused a complete containment failure that allowed multiple entities to escape and triggered new perforations throughout the complex. Despite this event, the majority of inanimate subjects remain contained within the Cells.

Cascade Laboratories is divided into several notable sublocations. The Containment Blocks are a multi-floor complex organized into alphabetically named blocks (named for prominent scientists) and connected by an elevator-like tram; some cells are inaccessible until security systems are reset. Key blocks include Dirac (linking to Helmholtz, Curie and Anning, and containing the Antique Shotgun, IS-0105 and a Gravity Dampener), Helmholtz (a heavily guarded, turret-protected high-security floor with access to the Furniture Store and to Royal Range behind a tier-5 door), Anning (housing the Tarasque), Baird (holding IS-0012, Dr. Albert Cahn and the Unassuming Bell, and IS-0151), and Enders. XR Containment holds the Leyak. The Lens Epicenter houses the Dark Lens, the portal to Rise (activated via the Laser Emitter Lab in the Adjustment Wing), and a door to the Vacuum Chamber leading to the Security Sector.

The Wildlife Pens, on the second floor, are the public face of Labs and include pens for Sow Peccaries and occasional Alpha Peccaries, plus an alien aquarium and the tram station linking to the security complex and Office Sector. The Adjustment Wing above the pens contains labs, cold storage and a Laser Emitter Lab, plus conversion devices that transform resources into Refined Carbon, Anteverse Gems, Liquid Crystal, or Greyeb Seeds. The Particle Lab connects to Canaan and requires a Snag Vine Seed, Night Essence, and a Keypad Hackerman (Tier 3) to open. A harvestable Space Lettuce Seed can be found in a cell on the fifth floor after resetting security.

Enemies and NPCs encountered in Cascade Laboratories include a broad range of hostiles and staff: Electro-Plague, Grunt, Breacher, Lab Rat, Captain, Exor, Sow Peccary, Alpha Peccary, Leyak, Containment Robot, IS-0139, Mushroom Peccary, Tarasque, plus named NPCs Abe Stern, Janet Ross, Ulrich Thule, Elanor Newman, Katherine Pendleton, Petra Peters, Albert Cahn and Siobhan Houston.

Practical notes and strategy:

• Secure access: many high-value areas are gated by tiered security doors; bring tiered Hackerman keys or locate consoles to reset security to reach food resources and portals.
• Containment hazards: expect mobile and psychedelic containment breaches after the Dark Lens removal; prioritize clearing corridors of escaped entities and disabling automated defense turrets in Helmholtz before progressing.
• Resource hubs: the Adjustment Wing converters and the Wildlife Pens provide repeatable resource processing and farming opportunities; the Particle Lab portal requires specific crafting items and an Hackerman key.
• Exploration order: reset the main lift security, loot the 5th-floor cell for Space Lettuce Seed, then proceed to the 6th floor for Control Center access and portals to The World in the Mirror and The Mycofields behind tiered doors.
• Combat tips: turrets in Helmholtz focus on containing infected IS—use cover and EMP-style tools where available; large threats like the Tarasque and certain IS require coordinated suppression and use of Gravity Dampener or heavy ordinance found in Dirac.