Hanse Library Robbery: Difference between revisions

'''Denounced:'''

[[File:Somalia.webp|25px]] Somalia (Before 10/23)

The '''Hanse Library Robbery''' was a heist committed on October 15, 2023 by [[Cascadia|Cascadian]] citizens [[3llies]], [[Paradox_1080]], and [[8kwng]] of the Hanse Library in what was then Wien, Styria. Tens of thousands of gold worth of items were stolen, including the exclusive Hanse Library head, a priceless, one of one head representing the library itself. The fallout included a major scandal against Cascadia, where the perpetrators lived, and the recovery effort by the Cascadian Government that occurred over the following couple of months. The scandal lasted into the [[Wagner War]], with the event often being used by Wagner nations to brand Cascadia as a nation of scammers, however the robbery became largely forgotten afterward.

The Hanse Library was originally a shop that sold primarily Netherite, started by HowAboutAStone in 2022 in what was then Wien, Austria. Eventually in January of 2023, it was turned into a library, and quickly became the largest, most beloved, and most famous library on the server during this time. From player memoirs to transcriptions of real world literature, the library was a cultural icon. HowAboutAStone became very rich during this time, and would amass vast riches in items, including heads, mending books, and more. Eventually, EarthMC itself gifted the Hanse Library with an exclusive one of one head, known as the Hanse Library Head. Throughout this time, the Hanse Library was the place to go if you wanted to find in game literature on the server. However, during the summer of 2023, HowAboutAStone gradually became inactive some time before the robbery. The town and nation the library was in changed hands to Bobbobster, who changed the nation name to Styria.   

Paradox_1080 and 3llies were Cascadian citizens who both joined in late 2022. Both were frontiersmen, and as a result were a part of it's respective political faction, prominent in Cascadia during this time. Both had relatively successful political careers under the Frontier during this time as well, both serving tenures as representatives, 3llies having experience as a secretary for what was then the Department of Social Services, and Paradox having been Vice President under [[WrestlingWithGod]]'s cabinet.  

8kwng was a more nomadic player, hopping from nation to nation in North America, eventually ending up in the town of Oceanside, now [[Aurora:Astoria|Astoria]], where he became a councilor. He was friends with many frontiersmen at the time, including the other perpetrators, which led to him joining in on the plot. He also had a history of robbery, robbing around 800 gold from the town of Nenetsia, however this was not known to anyone until long after the library robbery.  

WIP

=== Diplomatic Reactions ===

A few days later, on October 23, the Spanish Empire declared war on Cascadia for not recovering the stolen items fast enough, and included a list of items that Bobbobster, owner of Styria, still wanted returned. Veracruz and Iowa joined in with their own war declarations just a few minutes later. Then Somalia upgraded their denouncement to a war declaration, claiming Cascadia refused to take responsibility, and unlike Spain, claimed Cascadia outright refused to recover stolen items, which was erroneous. They then made a quip claiming the tied election between Flatvent and EmpressCorgo just the night before was rigged, which would later become a common claim during the Wagner War. Finally, on October 29, the Rus Empire, then the largest meganation on the server sent their own denouncement, supporting Spain, claiming Cascadia was delaying a solution.

Immediately upon discovery, Bobbobster DMed the president EmpressCorgo on October 17, demanding to know why his town was raided by Cascadians. She responded soon after, stating she'd look into it, and a diplomatic ticket was opened where discussion would be held, though HowAboutAStone was never present there. The diplomatic ticket concerning the Hanse Library Robbery is now lost media due to a nuke occurring the [[Great American War]], and not much information is known on what exactly was said in there. Meanwhile, when hearing about it, Karn4 and other Osoyans used the robbery as a way to bash the Frontier in their political rivalry since the perpetrators were related to the Frontier.

At some point in late 2023, HowAboutAStone disappeared entirely, likely 42ing at some point, and Tylenol lost contact with him. This was before Tylenol could return the aforementioned items. Because he did not trust anyone else to have the stolen items, Tylenol built his own library in Laurentia, where he put the items he recovered, including books. When he felt he was no longer a consistent player, he gave the Hanse Library head to [[Veyronity]], who was also a good friend of Stone. As of writing, Veyron still possesses the head.

The perpetrators were largely forgiven in Cascadia itself due to the fact that 8kwng had given up the items he stole, and that the situation was resolved otherwise. 8kwng went inactive and 42'd not long after the robbery, and 3llies also went inactive soon after, though she held the Frontier's cultural capital, Chaeronea, for a time. Paradox_1080 would be dormant for the time after the robbery, however he eventually returned and would even go on to become elected President of Cascadia nearly a year later.

Most of the war declarations and denunciations never amounted to anything, as no actual military action occurred, though numerous threats were made. After the heat surrounding the robbery had died down, the scandal was mostly used by those who already hated Cascadia beforehand, such as during the Wagner War to brand Cascadia as a nation of scammers despite the recovery of most of the value of the items. The robbery in general was used as a way to vent hatred toward Cascadia, as was common during this time. The town the library was in, Wien, likely switched through mulitple hands over time. Eventually, the town was overclaimed by towns from the Netherlands, and the library currently stands in the town of Bratislava, untouched with empty shelves. Today, the library has been forgotten by most, as most players joined the server long after it closed down anyway. The ones who do remember it, remember the library specifically for the robbery and it's fallout, leaving a legacy as one of the stranger and more unique events in Aurora's history.