a thank you from lance to the 76th

Wow, this is surreal. When I first got the message over half a year ago saying that I had been chosen to become one of the three Gamemakers for these games, I quite literally screamed in shock and delight. It was a dream come true - getting to run an entire Games on this wonderful site that I have grown so attached to over the past two years. From getting the announcement in February to starting the planning with my co-GMs even as all three of us made the final eight in the 75th to traveling down and having the reaping with Kay, Ele, and Tom irl to the bloodbath and virtually everything beyond, it's been a hell of an experience and one that I totally hope to repeat sometime in the (somewhat distant) future.

But throughout it all, I was only an architect. I helped create this, but it was the twenty four that got chosen and everyone else that supported and watched from the sidelines that truly made it happen. It wasn't perfect - few things rarely are - but I thoroughly enjoyed watching y'all make the magic happen and I'm honored to have had a part in making it.

So, since I don't like to play favorites, have some thank yous from yours truly.

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To aya : One of the necessary evils of having this sort of contest is that someone always has to die first. And unfortunately, it had to claim you for the second time. Gregor was a masterpiece that I was so looking forward to seeing develop in the Games, and I am truly blessed that he was one part in this grand story of ours, even for just a little.

To Gryphon : Bloodbath deaths are never fun, but like with the twenty fourth placement it's almost a certainty (barring one certain games) and you were caught up in the mix, much to Amethyst's enjoyment and my sadness. 10/10 would have McCarthy set the training center on fire again, and 10/10 would have you as a tribute again, hopefully for longer next time.

To @fabulousraven : Man, one of these days we need to break you out of that 22nd curse for good bc hot damn your tributes are such delights and Basil was no different. In Amethyst's eyes, the wrong District Six tribute of the two came home (sorry tom ily) and there was a reason for it. Hopefully, fourth time is the charm.

To Kire : Though your time in the arena was brief, you somehow managed to turn Etty into one of the most favorite of your tributes to me. The way she held herself and the way you wrote her just clicked, and she was one that I had definitely hoped had gotten more time to develop. You did well, fam.

To noodles : Well hey, we finally got you past day one, eh? Progress! But seriously, it was an absolute honor to have you in my games, and you did well with the extended time you were allotted. Next goal is to get you to the point where you aren't instad with a crushed skull in the first round of the fight if we can do that, you'll be practically invincible. But thank you for writing Aline and making her a part of my Games, fam, it was an honor.

To sbeeg : I guess it's true, the hot ones always die first :bruh:. But in all seriousness, Dandy was a fresh take on the average tribute. Not everyone is willing to charge into battle and not everyone is going to have a brave face while doing so, and you displayed that excellently. Also, Amethyst will never forget how she dared to make her a soup.

To L△LIA : One word: Hooligan. I jest, bc Jake-Skunk deserves so much more than simply one word. From protecting Lux's rack (which I died at) with a coconut bra to swinging around the anchor and chain for the aesthetic to simply just every aspect of his character, he was such a delight to read.

To brad bradford ★ d5 [arx] : Tfw u get three of the first seven kills of the games like hot damn fam. But on top of that, Clem was not only deadly but a badass as well, between sticking your butt cheek out for a bullet and each post you made (and let's not forget the one of a kind PTS) it was an honor to have you as a trib, even though I don't think you triggered a single RE in the process smh. Oh well, we'll make it happen next time :angelface:

To kap : Not many people dare to go the solo route, especially when they're the only solo in the entire Games. But you dared, and you made a damn fine spectacle of it too even with the way things worked out. Za-za was fabulous, and her demands to die naked will forever remain in Amethyst's memory.

To d6a georgie cham 🐢 frankel : Ahhhhh, easily the trib with the most feelsiest background these Games, at least for me. You certainly did not disappoint, either, with Rory's grim acceptance of his fate and his war of words both figurative and literal with Wendell were both highlights of your time here. You did good fam.

To ✨ zozo. : Ahhhh Lace. Almost like Lance but without an n. But ayy, not only did you avoid both your miss curse and your death-by-day-three curse, but you wrote a fine badass tribute as well. She will forever be known as the hurricane from Nine in Amethyst's mind, and her thought of "Mother clucker" will hands down go as an amazing pun to accompany her.

To Python : Kaiser Fray? In MY good christian games??? He may have been our token Fray, and yet he was so much more as well. You played his part perfectly throughout, and even though her co-workers might disagree, Amethyst saw the true potential in his style. It was an honor to have both him and you in my first games.

To * : I've already told you this, but hot damn fam Wendell was easily one of your best characters that I have seen yet. Not everyone can pull off being a villain so nicely, and yet it was as if you had been waiting to write him for your entire life. His savagery was a welcome shakeup to our arena, and he a welcome addition to the Games.

To solo : Holy hell fam! Two games in and you're already making a sizable mark on the site. Raquel was an excellent addition to the Izar family of tributes and you were an excellent addition to these Games. Thank you for blessing my games with your writing (even if ur clutch insta streak continued :eyes:)

To pup : Another former ally turned tribute, and hot damn was it a blessing. It took time for Cam to grow on Amethyst, but not from lack of trying, between her casual badassery and her genius at laying traps. By the end, she had gone from background character to almost a favorite, and if that isn't talent I don't know what is.

To Sunrise Rainier D2 // [Thundy] : I NEED A HEEEEEEROOOOOO. Wait, why would I need a hero when I got the perfect Hero to take part in my Games? Spoiler: I didn't, because yours was the perfect man for the job. Thank you for gracing our volcanic island with his presence and yours, strong and stalwart as they were. It was my pleasure to have you be the first co-GMer turned tribute to me (oocgs count guys)

To kousei ♚ : We've had our rough patches and our arguments in the past and I'm truly, genuinely sorry for my part in those, but I'd like to think that we were able to put those behind us and put our mutual desire to enjoy the Games first. I know I certainly enjoyed watching your trib - Ree embodied that skillful complexity of yours that you are able to generate with ease, and his interactions with others place among my most favorite in total this time around.

To knuckles : The Games can be rough to navigate sometimes, and I know we both understand that. But from the sound of it, this was a round that you were able to enjoy, which I'm glad of, and one that Chester flourished in as well. His character development from his first post to his last was noticeable and excellently crafted, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

To Baby Wessex d9 [earthling] : It's kind of surreal to think that in two short years we've gone from tribute-Gamemaker to allies to Gamemaker-tribute and yet almost seamlessly navigated each transition. A large portion of what I learned came from you, moreso than almost any other source, and I enjoyed the conversations that only ones who have been in our position could have. Adelaide, too, was a delight, that kind of character that somehow manages to stand out despite being half mad and perpetually cryptic to boot. 10/10 would have a kay trib in my Games again.

To thompson harvard - d2b - arc : Ah yes, the owner of, uh, *looks at smudged writing on hand* Wall Herring Namething. I kid, I kid. For a boy who made a flower crown in his PTS, Wally came quite a long way in the Games, both literally and metaphorically, and he went from being the lowest scoring tribute to the greatest threat to Amethyst's reign and life alike. All in all, a great trib from you and a great one to watch.

To gamemaker kelsier : When we first took our road trip down to the den of sin back in June, one of the things that I distinctly remember you saying is "that if I get reaped in the d9m spot, I'm totally going to put Titus in" and then me, having received the list a couple of hours later, saw the truth. Since then, he turned into the most badass fifteen year old that one could hope to have in the arena and was easily one of the most intriguing of tributes to Amethyst herself. With any luck, fifth time will be the charm when it comes to your placement, but Titus himself was great enough that it should make this fourth fourth worth it.

To я𝑜𝓈𝑒 : Trib-sibs in the games are feelsy. Victor relatives are twice as feelsy. And when you put yourself in a Games with Saffron's cousin, you know that good things are going to come of it. And I was right, they did. Not only did you finally break your early death curse (maybe it really was me that was causing it ) but you made Emberly worthy of her name from the beginning to the very end.

To D6f Carmen Cantelou [aza] : Coming second is rough no matter what the situation is, and coming in second after such a run like this must be painful. But jesus fam, what a run it was. Lux was nothing short of extraordinary from her very first post until her last. Her private training session was unforgettable, her journey across the arena as Amethyst's idea of a model Career was almost without peer, and whether she was fighting off a butterfly swarm or sending Adelaide to her third life she was nothing short of unforgettable. Amethyst and I are so proud of what you have managed to accomplish even though you fell short in the end. You did great, Aza, and you should feel proud.

To Tom : Wow man. Who would have thought at the very beginning that you would end up winning my inaugural Games? Arx and her shipping heart, probably, let's be honest. But hey, it happened, and now you've become Six's first ever victor in site history. And man, what a run it has been for you. Despite me going harder on you than I probably would have an ordinary tribute (bias is, after all, something to avoid), despite your hundreds of assurances that you were going to die on this day or that, you prevailed. You told me that you're happy with Teddy as a victor and that you felt there was still so much of his story left to tell, and I believe you. It'll be strange next games once I'm back to an ordinary lil member and you're now a big scary victor, but truly, man, I'm happy for you. Congratulations!

To Baby Wessex d9 [earthling] and aya (again): The first time was me thanking the tribute versions of you, and this one is dedicated to the admin versions. First off, thank you both for allowing me to partake in this grand opportunity. I do really appreciate having this chance, as even with all the work that came with it (or perhaps because of it idk) it was truly an experience I enjoyed immensely. Second, thank you both for acting as mentors and a neutral ground that we could come and discuss shiz with, and for imparting words of wisdom upon us as well. And third, as always, thank you for running and managing the bulk of the site - without it, I would not have all of these grand memories to treasure for many more years to come.

And finally, to shrimp and ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ : My fellow Gamemakers! Truly, I could not have thought of a better pair to have as my co-workers and mentors for my first real runthrough as a Gamemaker. Thank you for acting as mentors and putting up with my sometimes obvious and silly questions on this detail and that. Thank you for helping me construct these Games from the littlest detail to the largest. Thank you for acting as varying viewpoints on issues and ideas and for engaging in hours of discourse and brainstorming. I could say it a hundred times every day for a hundred years and I would never be able to convey the full extent to how grateful I am that I was able to experience this alongside you. Truly, it was the utmost honor and pleasure.

And to everyone else that watched from the sidelines, thank you for enjoying and watching and supporting us throughout this long journey from beginning to end. Even though you weren't a tribute, you were just as important - after all, the audience is one of the most important parts of any grand piece of work.

I love y'all, tribute and non-tribute, and it has been the utmost honor and joy to gamemake for you all. Here's to many more games on this wonderful site of ours.