The Paradox Research Facility is the first area of Avant Gardens that players arrive at after leaving the Venture Explorer. The facility was the site where Paradox performed experiments on the Maelstrom Spider Queen, Dark Spiderlings, and pure Maelstrom energy pumped from the Maelstrom Mine. Unfortunately, an experiment on the Spider Queen went awry, causing an explosion of Maelstrom energy that transformed the researches into Stromlings and Sentry Robot Mechs into Stromling Mechs, as well as causing major damage to the facility, allowing the Spider Queen to escape into the nearby cave at the Maelstrom Mine. Wisp Lee is the only known researcher to have survived (although his hands seem to be infected and he is wrapped in bandages), and directs passers-by to Epsilon Starcracker. The facility's function was carried on by the Paradox Refinery found in Forbidden Valley.
One of the cages on the Facility remains intact, which contains an imprisoned Dark Spiderling. When a player interacts with the Spiderling, it will move back and ram the bars, then stumble back in recoil. In the Beta, this Spiderling was considered a game enemy, and even though it could not be harmed, it often attacked players from inside.
