Session 3: The Tangled Web

When last our intrepid heroes were seen, they had woven themselves into a net with the Spiderweb. Entering a questionable agreement to help disrupt the Bureau's operations in exchange for help in clearing their name, the party had stolen and destroyed a powerful machine to keep it out of other's hands.
They wake up the next morning, and are given new disguises and a new mission: Journey to the Godmother's Factory with Clifton, and subtly sabotage it, opening the door for future operations.
It began smoothly enough. Ikep used his keen hands and attention to detail to create almost imperceptible flaws in the tubing system and potion barrels, stopping up the process of bottling. Makatza used her mastery over druidic magics to debilitate the chimneys for the forge, beginning to funnel the noxious fumes back into the factory. Hattori smoothly inserts himself into the loading bay crew, and begins to send products across the city to incorrect locations, hopelessly confusing the shipping system.
Everything quickly went wrong, however, as a mysterious group of alchemical terrorists confront them and begin to lay waste to the factory, quickly priming it to explode. Despite the best efforts of the protagonists, the terrorists manage to utterly destroy the factory. Dragging a barely-conscious member of the terrorists along with them, the party flees the scene.
Enraged, Raal contacts them and demands that they find a way to fix this mess, and clean up the wisps of living magic that are ransacking the city as a result of the explosion. Refusing to listen to their side of the story, Raal tells them that they are no longer welcome in the Spiderweb. The party cuts their losses and escapes the city, leaving the terrorist behind for the authorities.
The party escapes back into the Deepwoods, passing by a strange, large group of elderly folk camping out on the Deepwood path. They settle down for the night, and Hattori makes an effort to learn more about his companions, inquiring Ikep about the curious black magic that happens whenever Ikep touches him, and the strange explosion of dust particles that Ikep emitted in the factory. Hattori also attempts to talk with Makatza, uncovering more information about her family and her old home in New Hive.
The three of them are now back in the Deepwoods where they began their journey. Ikep claims to know individuals who might be able to help them clear their names, but does not know where in the Edge they might be. The group journeys to The Hive, back to Hattori's home. But in order to avoid the main roads and hopefully shorten their journey, they travel further into the Western Deepwoods, towards more people that Ikep claims will help them shorten their journey. Who are these individuals Ikep claims to know? Why do they live so far off the Deepwoods Path? And what will the adventurers do once they reach The Hive?