700 championship!

Tesha

It's been a crazy week. 

Congratulations @Jarrod, you and Mhaldor worked really hard and it showed. The tumblerace was especially brutal, and that really showed how well Mhaldor worked together. 

Two weeks ago when year 700 started, my mother was taken to the hospital for a broken leg, and they ended up finding out she had diabetes and lung cancer, as well. I had a 25-page paper due, two 15 minute presentations, a 5-8 page paper, and online coursework that I had to complete, as well. So much stress that I wasn't planning on participating at all. At the last minute after twins were announced, I grabbed @Tibitha just to try to get a medallion, and we ended up getting second (I know I know, bug etc!). At that moment, Targ just saw something and started supporting me and encouraging me to push for the staff. 

I had so much help in the foozle. I probably only knew about 30% of what was on my cards. @Quisse is responsible for another 30%, that woman is amazing. One of the things on my final card was dead, and people who were tied with me on number of cards having one extra point/getting to that card a little faster, so I got relatively very few points. There weren't that many points between Jarrod and I and that's when I thought maybe I stood a chance, it would all depend on the XP event. I didn't think I'd do very well in the XP event, so I focused on finishing the schoolwork of my semester and visiting my mother. 

But then when the XP event came up, Targossas just... came together. The support was overwhelming and completely surprised me. Even novices who had no idea what were going on were encouraging me, and one of them sent Tesha a few sweet letters. @Antonius and @Kasya were especially selfless. Antonius sacrificed his chance at placing to spend 3 hours helping me kill things, and Kasya stayed up to unholy hours just to keep me going and constantly provide me with blessings, supplies, tattoos, everything. When I ended up winning the XP event, it was only by a few minutes of bashing. 

That's when I started getting pretty overwhelmed with worrying about letting everyone down who's spent the last week encouraging me and rallying me to keep going. The tumblerace was absolutely brutal. I got pummeled with concussions nonstop, ended up hitting firecrackers/bananas absurdly often, wasted a confetti, and even though I was pretty prepared for the actual tumbling, Mhaldor just worked together really well with focus firing. I don't think they concussioned anyone else at all, and I think they were just better at using firecrackers/bananas. The tumblerace was so close, though. Aside from first, 2-10 were all within like 20 seconds of eachother. That's just a few well-timed concussions - but I was so far behind that if Jarrod placed at all, he'd have a huge advantage since the quiz is easily my weakest area.

I lost, Jarrod ranked really well, and I felt like I let everyone down. I probably could have tumbled a little bit faster, which maybe would have ended up dodging a few firecrackers, something, anything. It wasn't bad luck, luck has been a factor throughout these games. I felt like I should have done better. I remember 650 when @Jhui was describing how he felt when he thought he let everyone down, and I can completely relate. It was awful. @Deucalion was exceptionally kind to Tesha on CT, though, and people were still really supportive. I knew my chances were slim but I decided to try anyway. I actually did far better than I thought I would, I didn't think I'd even get one question, but it wasn't enough. No fairytale ending to get the staff. Without @Elawien and @Taraza's help preparing I'm not sure I would've even placed.

The games have just been incredibly enjoyable and fun. I felt like I wasn't doomed just because I didn't have 8 people with full level 3s and an earring network. There could be tweaks for next games, but hiccups happen when you take a risk in hopes of making things more enjoyable. I don't think they changed the outcome of much. If anything, I might have gotten a few more points in the foozle and it might have been a little closer. Jarrod and Mhaldor did really well. 

But the last week has just been... unbelievable. I'm so grateful to have the group of players in Targossas that we currently have, the kindness has just been unending, even when things were over and I lost. Seeing Targossas come together was so inspiring. It was definitely one of the best feelings I've had in Achaea. I wasn't expecting anything at all going into these games and I ended up getting second overall. Thanks for that, @Targossas. I spend a lot of my gametime working on things for the city, and I never expected anything like this. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the games @Tecton and everyone that was involved in running/hosting them. Especially the joust! I enjoyed that immensely, I tried something new and ended up doing pretty well.

Szanthax

Testimonial on why I play Achaea... So much more than a game.

The feels got me.

Aesi

Tesha said:

Stuff that is hitting me in the feels

Be proud. You worked your ass off! We love ya!

Kiet

Well done Tesha, you worked super hard and it showed! Don't think of second in something as big and cutthroat as the year games as anything less than great, that's still more than most people ever get.

Siduri

Well done, @Jarrod. And really well played @Tesha. We're super proud of you, now go handle life, you deserve it.

Quisse

Tesha said:

But the last week has just been... unbelievable. I'm so grateful to have the group of players in Targossas that we currently have, the kindness has just been unending, even when things were over and I lost. Seeing Targossas come together was so inspiring. It was definitely one of the best feelings I've had in Achaea. I wasn't expecting anything at all going into these games and I ended up getting second overall. Thanks for that, @Targossas. I spend a lot of my gametime working on things for the city, and I never expected anything like this. You guys are awesome. Thanks for the games @Tecton and everyone that was involved in running/hosting them. Especially the joust! I enjoyed that immensely, I tried something new and ended up doing pretty well.

You were incredible, and I know how stressed out you were. Still, you managed to be Tesha all the way through. and yeah, Targossas was pretty awesome. :awesome: 

(Congrats Jarrod!)

Blujixapug

How's that bitter, gnawing pain of coming so close and not winning? Don't worry, it goes away eventually.

i'm lying

Wynedere

I'm sorry to read that about your mother. Hope everything works out ok for her.

Aegoth

Hope everything with your mother, and with school works out. You're always fun to play against, and I hope that life sends good vibes your way. Congratulations on doing so well for "just an attempt at a medallion"

Tibitha

I wasn't even planning on taking part, maybe joining in on the events that happened while I was online. Then @Tesha dragged me in and sent me on whirlwind of stress and fun. Thank you!  I had a lot of fun and regardless of anything, you got Targ involved and excited!

Kasya

I know how crazy these last few weeks have been for you, @Tesha, and so I was sort of surprised when I logged in to find you'd done the Twins. That being said, you made a fantastic run, and I was happy to cheer you on even as 4 am turned into 7 am on Saturday morning. Watching Targossas come together was brilliant. These games were a lot more fun than I expected them to be, and your run made up a large part of that.

Congratulations to @Jarrod on winning all this, especially in a run where a lot of things were changed and done differently than they were before. 

Xinna

You did well, @Tesha. I would not have been surprised if you had won - it was close. We were worried.

Unfortunately, tumbling faster wouldn't have helped! I waited for you to lap me to throw more firecrackers at you. You cannot escape!

Had to get that 1st Mhaldorian Staff win on my watch!

Taraza

This year's games were truly nail-biting. I actually think even more so than last time's with Jhui and Iakimen whacking at each other. @Tesha you have some real issues going on, and I truly and sincerely hope that your mother gets to feeling better, I also and sincerely hope that you have a wonderful support system to help you out, because you'll need it. Anyway, you did absolutely fantastic, please do not feel like you let any of us down in Targossas, you performed well in each task that you did. It was enjoyable to participate alongside you and assist you! It was an epic blast performing all this with Targossas as well, and really watching everyone come together during this. 

The games themselves were different this year, but they were quite enjoyable. So congratulations to all those who have won a medallion of any kind, placed in any kind of the events, and also congratulations to @Jarrod for becoming the owner of the Staff of Nicator. Well done Mhaldor. You guys should be proud. 

Tesha

Thanks everyone! The Dawnblade actually threw something together for Tesha as a prize for doing well (even though it was more the city's doing!), which was ridiculously thoughtful (and kind of expensive!), so I am really quite content. Only makes me want to work even harder on giving back to Targossas!

Also, my mother's lung cancer is in an early stage, so they're working on her leg and overall health while doing more testing to ensure they have the right treatment plan for the cancer, which at this point is surgery combined with some kind of treatment for any possible remaining cells. I really appreciate all your support and well wishes, thank you for that, it means a lot to me.