Hanso

Hanso is a Blue Ixi and a petty thief that was introduced in The Faeries' Ruin plot. He usually wears his dark blue hair in a ponytail and wears a grey trench coat. He was once a Thieves' Guild member (along with notable characters Masila and villain-turned-hero Kanrik). Hanso's many attempts at thieving were often foiled by Brynn, a Brightvale guard who was also a character in The Faeries' Ruin plot.

Plot summary

The Faeries' Ruin

Main article: The Faeries' Ruin

When the plot first began it was unclear if Hanso was a villain or not, as he was at the Faerie Festival after the Faeries were turned to stone. He was busy trying to steal anything valuable from the party until, he ran into King Altator, two guards (a Skeith and a Draik), a Brightvale Kougra knight named Brynn (an old "acquaintance" of Hanso), and King Jazan (who was watching the thief). He revealed that a Chia named Hubrid Nox was responsible, who used a strange "artefact" which activated the spell. However, his initial statement had been a half-truth, as he later admitted selling the artefact to (what was thought to be) Hubrid Nox after stealing it from a Xweetok named Xandra.

While hunting down Nox, Hanso snuck away from the group and found his way into Castle Nox. He confronted the Chia about the stolen artefact, but the villain denied ever coming across it before he escaped. Hanso and Brynn later used the castle's control board, which triggered all the trap doors, to help the other trapped heroes escape. However, he was quickly accused of being in league with Nox as he was the first to go in, before Nox got out.

After a horde of shadowy creatures attacked them, they decided to split up. Altador, Jazan, and the Skeith and Draik soldiers would get the monsters attention, while Brynn and Hanso would go into Brightvale. The Ixi thief was soon jailed while Brynn would find the means of the real problem: Faerieland's sudden descent from the skies. Hanso was given a strange book containing an image of an artefact larger than the one he stole. When he noticed that the shadow creatures have invaded the town, he was able to escape and help Brynn. The Kougra knight told him to find Altador and give him the book. Instead, Hanso followed the creatures who captured Brynn, infiltrated the cave she was held in, and helped her, Xandra, and some imprisoned Neopians escape the confines.

When Xandra found a map within the book, the thief recognized it as one of his former guild's old hideouts. Inside, however, they ran into more of the dark creatures. Luckily, Brynn was able to take them down, while Xandra and Hanso found the second artefact.

Reuniting with the other heroes, they banded together to help the Xweetok witch activate a spell that would hope to undo the curse of the Faeries. Instead, she used that very curse to petrify everyone, except for Hanso and Brynn.

It was revealed that this was actually Xandra, disguised as Hubrid Nox, who Hanso had sold the artefact to. With both in hand, she was able to resume her plan to turn the Faeries to stone and take control over Neopia. After explaining her motives, the witch offered them a chance to help her regime. When Brynn refused, Xandra explained to the Hanso that he could be treated as a hero instead of a thief. Hanso was thought to have decided to side with Xandra in creating a new Neopia, seemingly under the impression that Brynn would always see him as a thief. Immediately, however, he steals the smaller artefact and flees with Brynn, while Xandra is on their tail.