FireFiriel

I just finished reading The Silmarillion for the first time and I want to draw a bushel of illustrations. The condensed form of it, as opposed to the novel form of The Lord of the Rings, really spurs one to want to fill in what isn't described in great detail with what one imagines.

And I want to use a style that's very different from how people usually draw Tolkien characters. Almost everybody these days is influenced by the look of Alan Lee's work and the Peter Jackson films. Now I have no problem with that, but it's not at all what I want to do. Since The Silmarillion really surprised and delighted me with how much it wasn't just noble high fantasy, it had many parts that were very fairy tale, even whimsical, I want to go for the look of a fairy tale storybook for children; plus influence from 1980s illustrations of toys for girls, like Lady Lovelylocks and Peppermint Rose; and just a touch of 1970s psychedelic graphic design. I don't know whether Tolkien would approve, but it's what I want to do.

Finally, I really do NOT want anyone to think that this in any way has to do with or is any kind of positive response to a certain marketplace website's streaming series claiming to have some correspondence with Tolkien's work. I am not going to watch that crap and I hope nobody else does either, not even to hate on it.

Of course however, I don't know when I'll have time for this. I'm currently very busy with family-related matters, and have the following art and comics projects ongoing or planned:

Professional:

Bovodar and the Bears by Jack Mikkelson

Clockwork Dancer by Jon Del Arroz

Paper Doll Veronika by me

a planned religious project

For fun:

Sherlock Holmes illustrations using Great Ace Attorney versions of characters

Batman: Decadence

Mary's Mazes

and various fanart.

But still, I really want to do this! Beware the Prince of the Cats!

I'm being hyperbolic. It did explain a few things. I'm speaking of course, of Layton Brothers: Mystery Room, which I just finished playing.

For a long time, I vehemently refused to consider playing this game, and rejected it as part of the Professor Layton canon. And I developed a personal animosity towards the character of Alfendi. How dare he claim to be the Professor's child, which he couldn't possibly be?

But then along came the Katrielle Layton game and anime, another character making the same claim. And as it turned out, these were absolutely wonderful, and explained in a totally satisfactory way how Katrielle is the Professor's child. So I grew willing to give Alfendi a chance.

I knew, however, from basic descriptions I'd read, that Mystery Room does not explain how Alfendi could be the Professor's child. So I came at it with the specific goal of settling, based on whatever information the game did provide, on a theory. Possible theories, both acceptable and unacceptable, are laid out below the following

Spoiler Warning!

Major spoilers below for the entire Professor Layton series, especially Unwound Future, Azran Legacy, and Katrielle's Mystery-Solving File; and for Great Ace Attorney 2. Spoilers for Mystery Room will be individually marked.

Theory: "The Son of Professor Hershel Layton" is simply one of Alfendi's alters.

I thought of this idea when I was just starting to entertain the notion of playing the game, and I knew that Alfendi had D.I.D. But this is quickly ruled out by the fact that he only has two personalities, and as both, believes himself to be Layton's son.

Verdict: DISPROVEN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theory: Alfendi is the biological son of Hershel Layton.

The idea that the game was espousing this claim was what made me reject it initially. This is impossible. I don't care what anyone says, it is utterly and totally unthinkably out-of-character that the Professor would commit fornication. Taking advantage of a lady and implicitly abandoning a child. That is what fornication means. It is not the act of a true gentleman.

And there's no opportunity for marriage. Claire died before they could, and it's quite clear that he couldn't bring himself to marry anyone else. I don't say this simply as a Layton x Claire shipper, there is additional evidence. The eagerness with which he sprung the idea of adopting Katrielle shows he really wanted children, so much that I believe if he could have gotten over Claire enough to marry someone else, he would have.

And even if you don't buy that, there simply isn't time. That he did not marry in the time between the explosion that claimed Claire's life and the main body of games is proven by a remark from Lucille in Azran Legacy. And only three years pass in between Unwound Future and the birth, rescue, and adoption of Katrielle. If during that time the Professor had married someone--whom? Flora?--and begotten Alfendi, WHERE were this wife and child at the end of those three years? That's a larger, crucial question that spans all theories: Where was Alfendi during Katrielle's childhood? If he's the Professor's son, whether begotten or adopted, he should be present. But he's not.

Also, Alfendi looks nothing like the Professor, and acts nothing like him. Especially since [Mystery Room spoiler] the aggressive, arrogant personality is his original one. [End of Mystery Room spoiler]. Katrielle, raised by the Professor, has notable personality traits in common with him: gentility, seeing the best in people, enthusiasm for puzzles, initiative, thirst for adventure, readiness to forgive, and frustratingly not explaining things until the last minute. In contrast, neither of Alfendi's personalities shares outstanding traits with the Professor. It seems highly unlikely he was raised by him.

So, I must conclude that Alfendi is not really Hershel Layton's son. Whose son, then could he be, and yet believe himself the son of Hershel Layton? There are some possibilities.

Verdict: UNACCEPTABLE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theory: Alfendi is the son of Jean Descole/Desmond Sycamore.

Descole is the original Hershel, Hershel Bronev, who gave his name to his brother Theodore, who thus became Hershel Layton. So it would be understandable if mix-ups occurred with the identities. Also, he was married for an unknown amount of time, and had a daughter that we know of. Alternatively, neither would it be unthinkable for him to fornicate after his wife died and he was living for vengeance in despair. Personality-wise, Alfendi does have traits in common with him, even unto his violent side resembling Descole and his placid side resembling Sycamore. But there is no physical resemblance.

Verdict: POSSIBLE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theory: Alfendi is the son of Dmitri Allen.

There is a strong physical resemblance here: wavy purplish hair, gaunt face and build, a small chin beard. Also, for a period of at least several weeks, probably months, Dmitri was claiming to be Professor Hershel Layton and, under that alias, posing as a crime lord in Clive's underground city. And while he was in love with Claire, it's not unthinkable that he might use his status there to forget his sorrows with some woman who might have, say, frequented the casino. This woman might have never known Dmitri's true identity, and so told her child that his father was Hershel Layton. This would put Alfendi at a suitable age, too, and probably give him a rather rough childhood, which would fit.

Verdict: LIKELY

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theory: Alfendi is the son of Kamilla Azan.

This theory actually springs from another theory I have: that Kamilla Azan and thus Katrielle are descendants of Iris Watson. I could, and someday will, write a whole nother essay about that. Thus I thought of the possibility of Alfendi being Katrielle's biological brother (or half-brother; it seems Kamilla had done anything necessary to get information about the Hidden Relics) at a moment when it struck me: he kinda has the Van Zieks look about him.

This could also tie up the question of his absence during Katrielle's childhood: perhaps in seeking information about Kamilla, the Professor, or Katrielle on her own after the Professor disappeared, discovered Alfendi and gave him the Layton name by dint of his being Katrielle's brother. Katrielle does write to Lucy at the beginning of Millionaire's Conspiracy, so while he wasn't around during her childhood, she must be aware of Alfendi in her adulthood.

Verdict: PLAUSIBLE

That brings me to the final mystery, something I realized suddenly while playing Mystery Room, something that's quite shocking. It probably arises from the game makers not having the whole series planned out from the beginning, but still, it is there and must be accepted as part of the story.

In Mystery Room, Barton speaks on the telephone about Alfendi to someone he addresses as Hershel. However, given the logical timing, it cannot actually be the Professor he is talking to! AT THIS TIME, THE PROFESSOR IS IMPRISONED WITHIN THE HIDDEN RELICS UNDER CRANSCOLL CATHEDRAL.

What does it mean? Who could be fooling Barton? Is it Don Paulo?

The answer to that mystery probably lies in a puzzle that would also contain the definitive answer of whose son Alfendi is... and of who Sherl is! But I don't think we'll ever know.

Anyway, I favor the Dmitri Allen theory, it seems to have the most basis; but I also like the Kamilla Azan one, it would create a cool parallel with Apollo Justice.

I have a secret sewing and lolita fashion blog, purposefully hidden. There, I've made fanciful allegories of various web platforms as buildings.

Tumblr I described as a city of strip clubs and public gallows, now mostly empty since the strippers were outlawed. Livejournal is an abandoned library--not a majestic classical library, but one like the public libraries of my childhood, with office-industrial tile and carpet and glass-block wall segments--in a forest, with ivy growing into it. Instagram is a fun-house mirror-lined carousel whose round-and-round motion spirals down into a consuming vortex.

So what is Deviantart? The obvious answer is an art gallery, but imagine being in an art gallery: quiet high-ceilinged rooms of well-lit paintings, carefully curated and organized. It's not like that at all. No, I think it's a shopping mall, with all that implies in our cultural context: it was once fun, full of teenagers both dippy and angsty, with arcades and subculture-based clothes shops and bookstores full of manga. Now it's mostly empty, some nooks and booths shuttered and dark, others crowded with cheap, distasteful merchandise, piles of trash in the corners, the dated carpet faded and the linoleum peeling, while the proprietors repeatedly change the colored lighting into more confusing patterns and rearrange temporary walls into a frustrating maze. Many stay only out of Millennial nostalgia, but sometimes you come upon a little shop full of beautiful inspiring things, but often long-untouched.

That's why I stay, and the nostalgia is especially bittersweet as I think of how selfishly I used to throw around adolescent emotions, now having come to years of real sorrow. And fruitfulness, as well. My DA journal is a place I gradually worked out learning emotional discernment and discretion. And I stay because of lovely, congenial people like Theophilia A-Little-Tea-Rat StarScout-lost NoahGutz CatSalinas and others. However, it's not worth putting effort into as regards striving for artistic success. It's not a place to reach/build an audience. For that, the best place I've entered is Arkhaven, promoted through Vox Popoli--which is a majestic classical library, both preserving tradition and crafting anew in leather tomes and bright comics, and not abandoned but lively.

Happy Easter.

A year ago this night, I was working frantically on the last page of Issue #2 of Clockwork Dancer, and I finished it as 2021 rang in. Many people were adamant that 2021 must be a better year than 2020, but on a certain level it has been much worse, as genetic agents are injected, poisoning the hearts of many, and become the basis for totalitarianism. But even as things fall apart and people reveal their true colors, both years have been very good to me personally, particularly in time spent with nieces and nephews.

Once again, I'm working on the last pages of Issue #2 of a comic. This time, it's Bovodar and the Bears. But I'm not likely to finish by midnight. I'm away from home on this New Year's Eve, and I don't know how long I will remain so. It's for a good reason and I'll miss it when it's over, but I don't have much time to work on art. When I do, it's an hour in the early morning, by the windows in a garret room. If and when I return home, I hope to resume a rigorous work schedule, including no internet Monday-Wednesday. But in this state of impending societal collapse, I can't be absolutely positive that will happen as planned. We'll just have to surrender to the divine providence of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

What there is so far of Clockwork Dancer and Bovodar and the Bears can be read at Arkhaven Comics, and paper copies of Clockwork Dancer may be bought on Amazon. Paper Doll Veronika has also begun to be posted at Arkhaven in addition to my own site as before. If I get home soon, there will soon be more pages of these to come. If not, there will still be more to come, just more slowly. Thank you for your reading, whether through the years or since just recently!

There's a photo of Pete Buttigieg holding a baby he acquired by money and making him or her drink from fake breasts he is wearing. It is the most disgusting image I have ever seen. Anyone who thinks he's not getting off on it is lying to themselves. This is a man abusing his slave-child for his own sexual enjoyment. And we let these people rule over us. This is worse than Caligula. This is a whole troupe of perverted freaks rubbing their insanity in the face of the American people and demanding we applaud them for it. And many do.

Here on Deviantart, I used to have long discussions with a certain former friend. I said the LGBT agenda would soon move on to pedophilia. She said maybe they'll try, but normal people will never tolerate it. Well it's happening right now, and normal people are going right along with it! Drag queen story time is child sexual abuse. Gay adoption is child sexual abuse. Sex and gender "education" for schoolchildren is child sexual abuse.

Another acquaintance here on Deviantart, a Russian lady, used to draw allegories of Russia as a mighty bear led by a pure maiden, and America as a grotesque rooster draped in a Pride flag. We Americans have no right to complain of such treatment. This is the face we present to the world. And with the COVID cult in control, "Land of the Free and Home of the Brave" is an absolute joke.

You may say my harsh words will just drive people away, but I am not trying to persuade opponents. You do not have civil discussion with demon worshippers. What I am trying to do is strengthen the resolve of Christ worshippers.

What can we do? Look to the Christians under the decadent Roman Empire and refuse to offer the pinch of incense to the emperor. That pinch may be a mask, an injection, a set of pronouns, a concealment of disgust. Don't do it. It will come to persecution, it already has. But no matter what, hold fast in Christ. His victory is eternal.