Esmerelda begins to delve into the astral plane for a creature or similar thing...

Including the fabled silver cord mentioned in astral travels.....

Digging further, Esmerelda finds information on a number of creatures, including

• The Astradaemon - A large and ugly daemon
• Dragon Horse - looks a bit like a horse, solitary, possibly helpful.
• The Astral Shark - a voracious predator
• Corpse Spinner - a  gigantic silver spider that hunts across the planes.
• The Soul Spider, although its 'proper' name is the Soliquid Astralis.

The Soul Spider is probably the best fit, it spins a long thin filament, much like a strand of spider's web, and casts it into the river of souls.  Sticky beads on the thread bind to a soul, and allow the spider to draw it back to itself.  However, there is little detail. Some speculate that a Soliquid is an immature version of a corpse spinner, others that it is a different, but related species.

There are a number of different texts on Astral travel, but one theme runs through all of them. When a living mortal travels  across the astral plane, its  physical body stays behind, and a new astral body is created.  A silvery thread of life force links the two bodies. If the thread is broken, the mortal body dies and the astral body joins the River of Souls as it makes its journey to The Bone yard.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:51, Fri 19 Nov 2021.

"This is a lot to take in, perhaps my other fellow investigator would like to help sort through this and might have some fresh ideas as well."

Lilianne leans back in her chair and looks outside the window, not registering the people walking by. Why would any sort of creature, intent on feeding, create a gigantic web, when it cannot catch anything bigger than a common fly? She had to admit that whales fed on miniscule creatures in the sea but she was still not getting why the creator of the web didn't seem to be present.

PM

“Lill, look what I have found…”

Points to the open books and her strips of ribbon marking pages..

ooc: Sorry, got caught up in catching up with too many things after returning from vacation...

"Hmm..." Lilianne replies thoughtfully, slightly irritated at the butchering of her name. However, it was not the first time the shorter lived people did that, so she kept from addressing that issue. "That is indeed interesting. - I found that the strands of the web share properties with ghost salt, which allows attacking incorporeal beings." she added to Esmeralda's observations.

"I would assume you can trap incorporeal creatures with this web." the elf thought out loud. "We would need to think of a way to verify that assumption." she said, tapping her lips with her finger while lost in thoughts.

ooc: Knowl. o.t. Planes check 23 - How to confirm that suspicion.

The librarian looks up from a book he is browsing through, The Complete Book of Demons,  "Experimentation, I presume.  It is not something that I have come across before."

He pauses for a moment, "How does that fit with your research?" he asks Esmerelda.

Esmerelda did enjoy calling the larger one “little” just for fun even though it seemed to perplex the woman…


“It would seem we know very little but the property of capturing or making weapons or oils might be something…. Perhaps it is some part of the boundary of our home, to keep creatures native to the astral plane out… the keeper would understand the nature of the boundaries that comprises an encapsulation…”

"I can assure you that it is NOT part of Netherword's boundary defence systems." the Librarian responds, shuddering slightly.

“Right!  So I meant to try dancing lights and twinkling to try to communicate with the drops themselves…what does you demonicon tome relate?”

"Oh, I had another group in earlier, who were investigating demons.  This is one of the books they were looking at.  It just describes different types of demon, and delineates some to their strengths and weaknesses.  Nothing to do with your investigation, I am afraid." he thinks for a moment and then adds, "Have you investigated the extent and the structure of the web yet?"

“Summoned creatures seem the best idea touching it ourselves seems a bad idea.  Do we have any scouts to check everywhere else?”

Lilianne had been lost in thoughts, wondering about the ideas Esmeralda came up with until she had another thought herself "Hmmm... if you feel the droplets are an entity and not the result of an entity's work, how about we try detecting their thoughts? We could determine if it is actually a living being, even if it is just a rudimentary intellect we can still receive emotions, would you not agree?"

"I have already asked Security to check the rest of Netherworld.  While they are still searching, there have been no reports of other sightings." the Librarian  responds to Esmerelda's question.
This message was last updated by the GM at 13:56, Mon 29 Nov 2021.

"Aye detecting thoughts is a great idea.  We should return and try some of these ideas and hopefully continue to clarify.  Can you detect evil?"

The Librarian looks up and smiles, "Oh, can I introduce Mattias, from the Netherworld Security Agency. He will accompany you."

“Greetings I had not realized the NSA was realized as yet.  Please bring your agents to my brewery soon I would know them each as I will cooperate and aid them as I am able, but I will know them first.  Do you want to open a tab?”

An affable fellow presents himself, he is clad in chain and carries a pole arm with a trident head on his back.
Well hey there, Ma’am. No need fora tab I try not to drink on duty. he says with easygoing professionalism.
The others are all on assignment I’m afraid, are you looking for a bouncer here at your uh … establishment? he looks around as if expecting tables a stage and a bar.

"Not so much, my place is not that popular for people to hang out in, and I do alright with any riff raff, I could potentially turn part of the main floor into barracks area.  Gurads have to eat, sleep and drink I assume.  Unless you have already found the proper space and accomodations..."

"No, Mattias.  I would like you to accompany these two ladies and watch out for them.  They are investigating an unusual occurrence.  Most of your colleagues are working for me, at the moment, and are looking in the darker and quieter areas of  the Netherworld." The Librarian says, making sure the position is clear to everyone.  "Once you are ready to continue, I will check the outside of the plane.

"Yes we need a man, perhaps if all else fails he can shoot an arrow ar the phenomena and see what happens..."

Mathias stands a little straighter being addressed by the Librarian.
Absolutely Sir He says with polite deference and a head bow. His manners seem casual and easy as if he had lived a refined life but he isn’t a fearful as a common man would be. I’m ready on command

I’ll throw anything you like at it, but surely I’ve got a fine bow here. He tells the potion maker. I’ll bring that for our journey and perhaps you can bring the mead?

ooc: Sorry, I'm a bit lost here, we were looking at the 'web', then suddenly we're at the library, then at the inn, or... ???

You are in the Library.