If it says “expedition” on it, it must be an expedition. At least, that’s what Iraqi customs officials thought, and they sent a fan’s art book straight to a local museum to determine its value and age.
An expedition is traditionally understood to be a voyage of discovery or research to remote regions of the world in order to explore them scientifically or to reach a specific destination, such as the South Pole.
However, there is also a video game that bears this term in its name: the multi-award-winning role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes its name from the expedition crew of the same name. In the game, this crew is sent out to stop the mysterious painter who ensures that part of the population is wiped out every year.
And it is precisely this connection in name that has now proved fatal for a Clair Obscur fan in Iraq. The art book from his collector’s edition of Clair Obscur was confiscated by customs and handed over to a museum for examination. The reason: the customs officers thought the book was an ancient artifact.
What exactly happened?
As Reddit user Ahmed15252 describes, he purchased the so-called Monolith Set, a reissue of the Collector’s Edition of Clair Obscur, some time ago. This includes all the CE merchandise goodies, including a 48-page hardcover art book. But that’s exactly what never arrived. Instead, he received mail from the customs authorities in Al Diwaniyah.
The letter stated that the art book had been confiscated because it might be an antique
. The import and export of antiques is strictly regulated in Iraq, as in many other countries with important archaeological sites. To clarify the matter, the art book had been handed over to a local museum so that its value and age could be estimated.
The book probably caught the customs officers’ attention because of its cover, which bears the inscription “Expedition Manual.” However, Reddit user Ahmed15252 has no plans to go on a real expedition with it. In the corresponding Reddit post, he writes that the customs officers decided that the art book looked a little too old.
My expedition journal art book was detained by customs for being "possibly ancient" 🗿
by
u/Ahmed15252 in
expedition33
Link to Reddit content
You know… drawings, symbols, the whole atmosphere… Result: The book was officially sent to the Iraqi Museum and the Technical Committee to confirm that it is indeed a modern video game art book and not a newly discovered lost artifact.
In the post, the user also presents the letters he received from the Iraqi authorities. These letters indicate that the drawings in particular were considered valuable – which basically speaks for the quality of Clair Obscur’s art book. A real 10/10 experience, I will definitely import history again by mistake
, writes Clair fan Ahmed on Reddit.
At least he should see his art book again soon. In a follow-up comment in the same thread, the user reveals that he has since learned that he can pick up the book again in one to two weeks. In any case, he has the laughs on his side.
