In Act IV, Interlude Part 1, the journey of Stanhope Nixon from Galt to Katheer (while Bash, Dabwick, Grip, and Pandora slept) was revealed:
8 Abadius
The Starling encountered Senator Daldamane in the little woodsman’s shack on the 8th of Abadius. And like every day, Stanhope Nixon had a limerick to share when the crew gathered for dinner that night:
I once met a Grey Gardener
Name and demeanor of Glower.
Searched for Daldamane,
Again and again;
At last cut down like a flower.
14 Abadius
After the Sellen Starling deposited the Senator with the Stardust Augurs, the crew gave Dora a bunch of time and space to recover from the events at Sarnath.
But Stanhope was given neither time NOR space during this stretch of time. Because the ship had a new passenger. And it had been “decided” that the only “logical” place this person could bunk down for the REST OF THE JOURNEY TO CASSOMIR was in Stanhope’s cabin. (Not that he had a cabin, of course, but that little cubby had been his for so long.)
This was the limerick the crew was “treated to” on the night of the 14th of Abadius:
There once was a mop and bucket
Shoved into the closet and stuck it
While the Chester–er…–chest of drawers
Was given so much mores
But their captain told them to suck it
Icy silence followed that poem. Along with a terrible look of disappointment on Katsin’s face.
19 Abadius
First Barnabus had woken as a vegetable. Then the others didn’t wake at all. And couldn’t be woken. Now they were planning to stop at the Isle of Arenway to talk to some Druids or something? But for the previous three days, the mood aboard the Starling gotten grim. This was Stanhope’s limerick on the night of 19 Abadius:
The silence on deck is grueling.
Five friends have been left just drooling.
Our cook’s overboard,
I’m out of my gourd,
Who in the world are we fooling?
24 Abadius
The Isle of Arenway had been a bust. The Druids had no help to give. But at least Stanhope was riding high:
In stuff we were listin’ an compilin’,
Stazi found a short note and a violin.
But solving the riddle
Dora left me this fiddle;
May you all find my music beguilin’!
29 Abadius
On the 29th of Abadius, the Starling was so close to Cassomir, but the weather was so bad. They were forced to anchor and batten down, the entire day. And night.
Belowdecks, alone (for once) in his dark, cramped, aft cubbyhole, Stanhope Nixon listened to the staccato snoring of Grip, the gentle panting breaths of Barnabus, the periodic small whimpers of Dabwick, and he put pen to paper:
Dearest Mother:
I’m writing you this letter from the Stellan Skyling, a riverboat, and I’m part of the crew too. Surprise! I know you thought I’d never be a sailor after I got seasick that one time you had your friends take us out in their fancy boat. I told you that I just had some bad seafood but you didn’t believe me. I was right! Never mix shellfish and wine! Anyways I’m sure she got the stain out.
I know we haven’t spoken in a while and I will admit that’s on me. I just needed to get away from the city and you and clear my head. And also from what’s her name? The woman you set me up with? I didn’t even know that arranged marriages were still a thing. I mean, I know you and Dad didn’t necessarily, y’know, but c’mon that doesn’t mean that things can’t work out for the rest of us. I have a lot of great qualities and I’m gonna make—
[Several names are written and crossed out here.]
—some woman very happy someday. More on that later.
So. I found this job in Ustalav, with some really great co-workers and on-the-job training with great benefits and perks. I was really brushing arms with the nobility in Thrushmoor and was set to make my mark. But then two of my bosses kind of got jealous of me and were fighting over who was gonna have my loyalty and so I had to look for other opportunities.
Anyways, now I’m on this ship and I’m basically in charge of the whole deck and maintaining it. Very important. The captain here definitely thinks I’m sailor material, even though she’s still kind of hazing me. I have to share my bunk space with this Chester guy who is a complete loser. He’s a terrible cook too. I’m a much better cook than he is. Everybody seems to like him a lot although I have no idea why. Whatever. Between you and me I think they just feel bad for him. But as I was saying, I’ve made some real connections here and one of my work colleagues gave me a fiddle—I think because she thinks I’ve got real talent! I’m sticking with it this time not like with those dance lessons you made me take. I never needed them anyways.
So, I guess you’re wondering why I’m writing you since my life is obviously awesome and I’m crushing it both generally and specifically. Well, I’ve thought about it and I just feel like now is the time to settle down. It’s time. I’ve sowed my wild oats and I’ve seen things men shouldn’t see. So. Good news: the wedding is back on! Let what’s-her-name know that I’m a yes and I’ll take that job with her father, the merchant? I think he was a merchant. What an easy job. What does he sell again? The sooner the better. I’ll be back home in Cassomir tomorrow.
Your loving son,
Stanhope Erich NixonP.S. I will need a place to stay and some pocket money to keep up appearances and for the wedding. If you haven’t done anything to my room, I could stay with you until we move into that apartment in Threegates her family kept. Alright, I need to break it to the captain that this will be my final port. I’ll let her down easy. See you soon!
30 Abadius
Finally, on the 30th of Abadius, the Sellen Starling reached Cassomir. Stanhope finished his duties on the ship and found a runner to bring his letter up to his mom. He was going to give her a little time to adjust to the New Reality. To soak up the good news. He figured he’ll kill an hour or so down in Abbey Green and then make his Grand Entrance after mom had gotten what’s-her-face dolled up and her father, what’s-his-butt, ready to sign the employment contracts (and wedding contracts, of course), but then Stanhope spotted Stazi with someone he didn’t recognize.
“Hey guys! What’s going on?”
What was going on was that Stazi was grabbing a boat to head out to the Dog's Teeth, where pirates had sunk a ship or something, and she only had this random Elf she’d known for, like, two seconds with her.
“I know this place like the back of my hand,” Stanhope said. “I’m kind of a huge deal around here. Or my mom is, at least. Anyways, you could use some extra muscle and I’ve got time to kill. I’d be happy to lead your party.”
A Nexus.
Later, inside the Aurora, all three of them were Seeded. And Nothing Would Ever Be The Same Again.
They returned to the shipyards. Tharivol knew who’s-who, and Stanhope actually had a name he could throw around a little bit. They got access to Julius Caine and learned all about the Jeroboam, which had JUST set sail for Absalom the day before yesterday.
THEY COULD STILL CATCH IT.
Tharivol secured passage on a fast ship called the Venture, which was leaving right away. They went to tell Chester what they could, Stazi grabbed the party’s Bag of Holding (holding all the food and expedition supplies), and they raced back down to the docks just in time for all three to hop aboard the Venture. They would hopefully catch up to the Jeroboam around the time it reached Absalom.
Later, at the end of the day, up in Old Cassomir, Stanhope’s mother read a letter that had been dropped off by a runner. The second such letter she’d unexpectedly received the same day:
Mom:
You should leave the city now. Please. There’s a sickness. An infection. I’m infected too. A lot of us are. It’s not safe in Cassomir. Get out. Sell what you can and get out. And don’t read anything. Throw away your books. Stop reading those pamphlets and flyers. And stay away from people. Get out of the city now. I can’t see you. The wedding is off.
Stanhope
P.S. Tell what’s-her-name that she should get out too. And about the books and reading. It’s not my fault.
P.P.S. Seriously get out of the city now. Don’t be mad at me. Please.
P.P.P.S. I’m sorry if you already spent money on a wedding venue.
8 Calistril
Nearly a week later, on the Venture, Stazi, Tharivol, and Stanhope were getting to know each other as they crossed the Inner Sea, heading due south toward Absalom.
In retrospect, the idea was obvious. But they’d had other issues to adjust to. And they’d had every reason to believe their information had been good. However, Stazi brought up the fact that the man they were chasing could be scried. “I have seen Dabwick do this twice on the deck of the Starling. I can describe him in detail.”
“Perhaps, both men can be scried,” Tharivol offered. “I know Mun like the back of my hand.”
“We should be sure.”
“We should be sure.”
It took many days of trial and error, but on one day it did work. It worked on Lowls, in fact. And when they saw him sitting like a malignant, cancerous lump at the aft of the Jeroboam… and they saw coastline on their port side… Tharivol made the realization:
“They’re not going to Absalom.”
It took several Commune spells and a few more attempts at Scrying to confirm and catch Lowls and Mun in conversation, but they figured out that their targets were going to Katheer. Some place called the “Mysterium.”
It wasn’t easy to get the captain of the Venture to entirely change her course. None of them had much money on them. But what they did have was a very expensive Bag of Holding filled with a small fortune’s worth of food, water, and supplies.
And so a bargain was made.
The Venture changed heading for Qadira.
1 Pharast
On the 1st of Pharast, Stazi, Stanhope, and Tharivol made their first monthly saves against Seedborne Consumption. And unlike how rough it went for the other party back on the Starling, this time they were not unprepared. Because Stazi had been through this already. Not the suffering, but the care. She’d seen it. She’d helped with it. And at the first sign of fevers, she told Tharivol what spells to have on hand. She took all the lessons she’d learned from watching Vik care for the Dreamers and she got them through the worst of it.
Out of bed for the first time in several days, Stanhope Nixon put pen to parchment:
To Whom It May Concern:
If you are reading this, then I am most likely dead. I am sure I died doing something totally awesome and probably taking out at least one dragon and maybe a demon as well. Or something made out of worms. That’d be cool.
But I digress.
If you are reading this then you are my, and the world’s, last and best hope. Things are dark right now but I know that you’ll dig deep and save us. You can do it.
Enclosed are the collected writings of Stanhope Erich Nixon III, or me. Your mission is to make sure they are taken back to civilization, bound together as a book, and then distributed far and wide. Let my voice thunder even as my spark has dimmed. Let the people know what happened here so that all who follow understand this tragedy. This singular artistry lost forever. And so young, too. (And really good looking!)
Please use whatever treasure you find with my poor beautiful corpse to get as many really nice bound copies made as possible. Travel the breadth of Golarion to share my words. Keep the dream alive. You could also collect funds or use your own to have statues of me made and placed around various nations and cities. Metal or stone is preferred—none of that cheap shit. Something fancy. And with a nice inscription:
When you’re feeling like a Joe Mope,
Just imagine me—it’s Stanhope!
The world needs fixing,
Remember Nixon:
My words will deliver you Hope!As I write this, I can feel the encroaching darkness pulling me down. Stay vigilant. Fight the good fight. Take out the trash. Listen to your mother. And remember me:
Stanhope
23 Pharast
Finally, in the late morning of the 23rd of Pharast, Stazi, Tharivol, and Stanhope reached Katheer.
The Venture docked in the Port, and the Inquisitor, the Cleric, and the Swashbuckler were herded into the Visitor’s Center, where they were made to register. And when they stepped out into the Great Market to get their bearings and some directions, who should be munching on a lunch of delicious fried street-meat nearby, but Nheb.
Nheb saw the angry, foolish reckless one that hurt him so badly. But he also saw the quiet one—one of the healers from the ship. How could this be? Nheb wondered to himself. It seemed almost unbelievable. Is it really them? Why are they here?
Nheb watched the trio finish talking to a local and then they marched off to the west. Oh, well. How weird.
Stazi, Tharivol, and Stanhope headed west, and in front of what turned out to be the Mysterium, they found a scene of panic. Something was Going Down. A gaggle of militant monks—a dozen of them—who all actually seeed like they might also be spellcasters, were gathered around an old man who was yelling at people on the street in a distracted, angry panic while some of the spell-monks were strapping him into a gorgeous suit of mithral chainmail it would appear he had not worn for a long time.
Something was definitely going down. And Stazi and Tharivol recognized the look in the old man’s eyes immediately.
He had been Seeded.
Lowls and Mun were there. And judging by the arming of forces and the clearing of the road, they were there RIGHT NOW and these folks were going in after them.
And they probably didn’t know what they were up against.
Tharivol was the only one who spoke the local tongue, but the old man—Elder Lythiin was his name—spoke Taldane. It took some fast talking from Stazi and a Zone of Truth spell from Tharivol, which they all voluntarily submitted to, but the old man heard them out.
Elder Lythiin answered some quick questions:
“Yes, they’re inside the Mysterium.”
“Lowls has been in there about an hour. Mun, just fifteen to twenty minutes or so?”
“No, there is no way out. None at all. They’re trapped.”
And Elder Lythiin received some quick answers from Stazi, Tharivol, and Stanhope:
“These men are even more dangerous than you suspect.”
“They work directly for the entity now in all of our heads.”
“We have crossed the Inner Sea to bring them to justice.”
And the Elf even knew the name of The Book… the book no one should know was there. And the Elf was sworn to ensure it never sees the light of day.
So Elder Lythiin agreed to allow Stazi, Tharivol, and Stanhope to join them. “But you must stay close,” Elder Lythiin insisted, “and obey all of my instructions. Can you agree to this?”
They could. And they did.
And then Nheb appeared. With a strange little Halfling.
A Nexus.
And Stazi remembered the final assessment from the other party: “That rat’s all right.”
So they enlisted some arcane firepower.
They all entered the Mysterium together. All but the weird, angry little Halfling.
Shortly after they entered, there was the sound of a bell. Not the bell at the Shrine of Thaffar, so far away, but the bell atop the Mysterium’s pyramid.
Tolling to announce the triggering of the wards.
And at that EXACT moment, nearly 500 miles away, Dabwick woke up in their flat.
First Reference: Act IV Interlude Part 1
Other Notable References: —