Geoff van Sant

Geoff van Sant is a military veteran, Tanis enthusiast, and friend of Nic Silver. Throughout the show he acts as security and protection, as well as advisor, for Nic on several occasions.

Geoff's real name is Karl van Sant. His brother, the real Geoff van Sant, either committed suicide or was murdered, and he assumed his name and identity afterward.

Younger brother of now deceased Karl van Sant (who it is later revealed was the legally named Geoff van Sant). After Karl’s death, someone hacked into Karl’s computer and sent an email to Geoff with a link to Nic’s Craigslist ad “Seeking Tanis. Runner wanted.” Geoff then responded to Nic’s ad with the reply “We need to meet.” Geoff shows Nic Karl’s basement apartment and lets him take a one of Karl’s cassette tape recordings and some documents. Later, Geoff sells the remainder of Karl’s materials and equipment to Cameron Ellis, although he didn’t know the identity of Cameron at the time.

Geoff and Karl had been living on different floors of the same house for twelve years before Karl’s death. Geoff is thin and average height with sharp eyes. He was eleven years younger than Karl.

After Nic’s kidnapping by the Cult of Tanis, Geoff accompanies Nic to the duplex in Everett, Washington where the Cult lived, only to find the duplex empty and that the Cult had disappeared.

Geoff slowly became a fan of the Tanis podcast and friends with Nic Silver. They have met for beer and darts on occasions to discuss Nic's quest for Tanis and possible leads.

Geoff discovered that Karl had a secret mailbox when the post office called and asked him if he would like to renew it. Geoff found unclaimed mail for Karl and turned it over to Nic. Among the mail was a letter for Karl signed with the anagram Levity Elks. The letter was a reply to an earlier letter Karl sent, where Karl asked how a person could tell if they were a runner.

Geoff is a military veteran and served in Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001, but mentioned he operated in Pakistan instead of Afghanistan, which implies he may have taken part in special operations. He also warns Nic about possible negative side effects from Nic's hypnosis therapy, based off his own negative experience with a similar therapy related to his deployment.

Geoff disappeared into the woods in Episode 211 after leaving an ominous voicemail with the studio telling Nic that he would meet him at the place where they found the plane.

(From http://www.podcastenthusiast.com/tanis/)