It is still the 29th of Chaos, 3468. Fortune's Vanguard had split into two groups, one of Ripley, Cleis Frostclaw, and Xael. Those three had traveled through the external southern waterway of the Sanctum Beta, weaving their way past some Waterwheel and into the facility. Inside, they surveyed around the room - large strange devices, embossed in coils and other machinations filled most of the central chamber. They discovered a door northward, and two ways east and west. To the northwest, they discovered a vent.
They were discovered by a Clockwork Laborer, seemingly checking in on the chamber. Despite witnessing the members of the Vanguard, it did not strike nor set alarm. The door to the north was also partially electrified, but the clockwork being seemed unafflicted by it. Ripley sought to prevent the door from shutting by placing a cooking pot in the way. The laborer interrupted her stunt, claiming the pot, and left despite her pleas to give it back. The group wandered deeper, through vent-way. They discovered a larger chamber, with a strange Clockwork Lasher, that seemed to strike both enemy and ally with its strange cords. Xael cut it in two, easily.
Outside, Woodsworth Moure, Caduceus, Milu Soma, and J'ack Rameur were assailed by continuous alarm. After some time, they determined there was something standing on the other side of the external door. Backing away from the alarmed area, they retreated until it would go away. However, it would continue to blare. Woodsworth, worried for his allies, spoke through the Agent's Clasp to a handler somewhere on Tulsa-aria. He gave a time-sensitive message for them to pass through two branches of The Slowcart Foundation, from Management to Operations. The message was clear: they would breach the facility if they heard no word back in the next hour.
Inside, the group discovered a longer-hallway that seemed to bend. Not fully exploring it due to seeing another strange surveillance head on the wall, its green-glow gaze over a corner in the hallway. They retreated, and attempted to find a different passageway to move through. As they returned to the coiled waterwheel chamber, Ripley got message from A Strange Voice, referring to her as a precious "rising star". It seems the Foundation's information network is much more fractured than we understood. The Strange Voice was curious as to her discoveries and activities in this strange fortress, deep beneath the earth. This seemed to be the Head of Operations, now aware of our journey.
Outside, Milu had discovered a means to turn off the alarm. His scholarly mind was able to figure out a way to activate the same device that set off the alarm earlier; turning it off with ease. We kept surveying the outside, studying the electrified door for any signs of wear. J'ack and Woodsworth began to mine out various crystals from the Crystal Caverns walls - tossing them at the door in an attempt to dampen the effect. However, the crystals merely bounced off the doorway - becoming illuminated in the meantime. J'ack tossed one of the glowing crystals - as bright as a torch - into the waterway. Despite sinking, it was caught in the current flow; pulled inward to the facility. Woodsworth got acknowledgment of the message, being told it was unorthodox to request such a thing so urgently. He had promised a better report once the situation stabilizes.
Inside, they spotted the glowing crystal thrown by J'ack. Two of them pressed in deeper - Ripley and Xael went off on their own, down a different waterway to see where it led. Those two would move down a smaller hallway, and up a hatch - where the two had to fight for their lives. With excellent accuracy and decisive slices, the duo took mere moments to annihilate their foes. Realizing they could get in far over their heads, they retreated to the area where they left Cleis. Braving the painful waterwheel, the group swam through the same vent they came through; Xael getting a little bent again this time through.
Reunited at the southern shore, just outside the fortress's door, we were glad to see everyone in one piece. Behind us, the same electrified door made noise as its ward faded away. We moved into position to defend ourselves, and the door opened.