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Starstrands starts with a dream spider.  Dream spiders are creatures of illusion that exist somewhere between reality and dreams.  Most of them are pretty small and they eat the various little things that escape dreams just like real spiders eat flies.  But there are some big ones.  Some very big ones.

The big ones spin living filaments in the space between worlds, between realities, anchoring the void and connecting the nodes that are naturally occurring potentialities that could be portals from one world to the next or from the world of dreams to the waking world.

As matter seeps out of one node or another, as the substances that exist in the void come into contact with the web and as dreams slip out, the filaments that make up the web adjust, absorbing whatever they come into contact with and taking some of the substance of various realities into themselves.  The spiders are nourished by feeding on the growing filaments and by eating such things that stumble or fall on their webs.  No sane and experienced traveler will tread a path into the void that runs along the twisting filaments that make up a living dream spider web.

The biggest spiders are huge creatures of incredible power, altering reality around them in a bubble.  They are dangerous to avatars and heroes who might otherwise think themselves unchallenged on the planes and can eat ruks like a spider eats flies.  One of the biggest of the spiders caught Astara Firedaughter of the Azura in a web.

The spider was slain, but not completely killed, the webs were broken but not unravelled, the filaments were neutralized but not consumed.  Astara went on, a little more cautious for a while.

From above, Starstrands exists.  It has no below.

Each of the major strands runs from a node to the center.  Some connect all the way through, some do not and the center is a tangled mess, a multilevel swamp of water and life that looks like something out of a mad dream by Escher.

On the light side there are thousands of pinholes in the bubble, each shaped like a rune, through which starlight comes. By "day" it is very bright, by "night" it fades.  Each rune connects to a star, each star is one that Astara called on in her battle against the dream spider.

On the shadow side there are areas of darkness and shadow, with the shadows flowing almost like streams of not dark, but not light.  Their patterns are shown in the map above.

At what would be the 11:00 position on a watch face is what remains of the dream spider -- an illusion that isn't quite dead or alive with little segments of reality, each a bubble, remaining from what was before.  These float in the void.

The strands are quiet and still, completely covered by earth.  The colored areas inside the web are covered by earth and other detritus.  Trees grow in the earth, and spiderlike creatures prowl, especially on the dark side, which is divided into three kingdoms, each ruled by one of the undead.

The lightside also has counties and free areas, but is mostly wild.

A.  The dream spider's illusion shadow.  The creature is yet here, able to exist only in this area, with venom that strikes with acid laced illusions. and embracing regenerating webs that it spits at potential prey.
B.  The Undying King's Realm.  Eight sorcerers attempted to raise the dream spider as a great undead creature.  Seven remain behind, one has returned and rules this realm.
C.  Deep Shadow.  A realm of undead shadows.
D.  Blood Castle.  Abiding hunger marks the area controlled from here.
E.  Forest Home.  Spider elves and others live here, with feral dryads and stranger folk.
F.  Paving City (the one real city).  This is a real city, half built with local materials and half from flotsam that has been hauled in from the void.  Many bits and pieces of ruined cities can be found here.
G.  Far Lands.  Refugees from a world enslaved live here, biding their time and building strength.
H.  The Green Spider Dragon's Swamp.
I.   Ancient of Days (old ruins).  An ancient city, partway absorbed by the web.
J.   Chameleon Draw (ruined city).  Which part is illusion and which part is real is always a challenge and always changing.

Inside the web one can tell where the lines of the major web can be found by two separate effects.

First, if you walk along the line, for every three feet forward you go, you rise one foot into the air until you have reached a height of 3' per pound you weigh.  If you move at right angles you will descend at 1 foot per foot traveled.  It is possible to stay airborne for extended periods by walking along the line, then at right angles, then along the line, etc.

Second, over the lines trees grow in mid air, their roots connected by the old magic of the filaments.  Trees rise to a height of 1' per pound they weigh.  Plants less than five pounds do not grow into the air, but remain in the dirt.  Most of the trees are citroens, with a fruit that is a cross between a lemon and an orange and a tree that looks somewhat like an oak crossed with a maple tree.  They have a bright red sap that has a flavor similar to the fruit.  They tend to reach 120' or more when mature and live very long magical lives.  At 110' feet they may spawn a dryad.

The trees end at the swamp, and the air walking effect is warped there.