Alain Guillotin

Alain Guillotin was a historical figure from the cataclysm around 400–500 years ago. He was a member of the Narzissenkreuz Institute before its disbandment, a researcher of the Institute of Natural Philosophy, and a Marechaussee Hunter, and later went on to establish the Fontaine Research Institute (full name "Fontaine Research Institute of Kinetic Energy Engineering").
==Profile==
Alain was noted to be a very rigid and serious person, who only seemed to care about his research. He was known as a child prodigy, and became a researcher at the Institute of Natural Philosophy at a much younger age than his own research assistant, Carter Scherbius. However, he was very close to his adoptive sister, Mary-Ann, as well as Jakob, Rene, and Carter.
Alain's primary research focus was Khaenri'ah machines such as Ruin Graders, but he also researched technology from the era of King Deshret.
He was raised in the Narzissenkreuz Institute until the Vice Director departed for battle during the cataclysm. Later, Alain and Mary-Ann were adopted by Emanuel Guillotin under the request of Basil Elton. His friendship with Rene de Petrichor and Jakob Ingold lasted for years, until the two led a failed procedure on his assistant, Carter Scherbius, during their time in the Institute of Natural Philosophy, causing a rift between them.
Alain later joined the Marechaussee Phantom alongside Mary-Ann. The two were one day assigned to capture the members of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo, when Master and Jakob's schemes had caught the attention of the Court of Fontaine. A clash broke out within the remains of Elynas between the siblings and the leaders of the Ordo, Master, which presumably killed Mary-Ann.
===Appearance===
In the flashback of Neuvillette's memories, Alain is wearing the uniform of the Marechaussee Phantom.
==Quests and Events==
==Story==
Alain was raised in the Narzissenkreuz Institute until its Vice Director died during the cataclysm, and the Institute was disbanded. At the request of Basil Elton, Alain was taken in by Emanuel Guillotin, together with Mary-Ann. He enrolled into the Institute of Natural Philosophy in pursuit of mechanical research, where he was highly revered as a child prodigy, but also envied for his talents. Following Rene and Jakob's return, he recommended them to the director of Institute, leading to a temporary collaboration between the three on Alain's project.Interactable: Ancient Log #1Interactable: Ancient Notes During their time in the Institute, the three, along with Mary-Ann, also developed a close relationship to Alain's sickly assistant, Carter Scherbius.Interactable: Ancient Log #2
In time, however, Alain discovered that Jakob and Rene had secretly been conducting experiments using Elynas' remains and had even experimented on Carter in an attempt to save his life, a procedure which caused his body to begin rapidly deteriorating. Carter's subsequent death led Alain to completely sever his relationship with the two.
The Guillotin siblings later became members of the Marechaussee Phantom. After the tragedy with Carter and joining the Marechausee Phantom, Alain, inspired by Carter's idea of a "thinking Kamera", created a mechanical assistant prototype and named it Seymour, tasking to always accompany and protect Mary-Ann.
When the Court of Fontaine officially declared the Narzissenkreuz Ordo a threat, The director of the Institute of Natural Philosophy, Dwight Lasker, entrusted Alain's adoptive father Emanuel to investigate the Ordo.Interactable: Ancient Investigative Report Emanuel was eventually dissolved by the leader of Ordo, Master. From victims' memories, Master learned that Alain had introduced simple logic trees for clockwork meka to execute commands. Master thought that "with the right organ, consciousness can be transplanted." Seymour utilized a "virtual neural network" for "thinking, security and surveillance applications," which caught the Master's attention. However, Jakob got emotional because he does not wish to oppose the Guillotin siblings.
the Master used the "Book of Revealing" to show Alain the calculated destruction after the cataclysm and the impending apocalypse, attempted to persuade Alain to join their plan to save human civilization. The Master proposed lending Alain's strength, making him a part of the Master. However, Alain refused the Master, saying, "it seems that there's no going back." and left. The Master felt displeased by Alain's refusal but still provided a place for him and Mary-Ann's future.
Master rallied the members of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo and led them to Elynas' remnants to carry out their orders. Alongside Master and Jakob, the entire Ordo engaged in a large-scale battle against the Marechaussee Hunters, which included Alain, Mary-Ann, and Seymour with their clockwork meka. During the battle, an explosion was triggered by someone, which greatly damaged Seymour and likely led to Mary-Ann's death. The outcome of the battle was the defeat of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo. Master was defeated by Alain and "[fell] into the chasm that dissolves all things." At the last moment, Rene's consciousness told Alain that he "will surely return to save all souls." Jakob managed to survive the incident and survives to the present day.
Sometime after leaving the Marechaussee Phantom, Alain established the Fontaine Research Institute of Kinetic Energy Engineering. He named the Suppression Specialist Mek after Carter to commemorate him.
According to legend, Alain retired from the Fontaine Research Institute in his old age and isolated himself in his workshop, focusing on nothing but his research. However, none of it was ever published and from the traces left behind in his workshop, it can only be inferred that something was built.
===Legacy===
Alain invented the Arkhe systemYouTube: Version 4.0 Special Program and founded the Fontaine Research Institute of Kinetic Energy Engineering. He is hailed as a genius and some of his inventions, notably the Clockwork Meka, are still being produced in Fontaine's factories in the present day.
According to legend, he invented a prototype machine that was capable of speech and thought to help his younger sister's work as a member of the Marechaussee Phantom. This inspired the engineers of Fontaine to develop artificial intelligence, although none has ever succeeded.Aquabus — Clementine Line, Aeval: K2: About Artificial Intelligence
==Trivia==
* In Ann's Story, there is a Hydro Mimic Mallard from the Narzissenkreuz Adventure Team named Al, whose name is derived from Alain.
* According to Jakob and Fell Dragon's Monocle's story, Alain took on the role of the "hero" while playing a role-playing game at the Narzissenkreuz Institute.
* Alain once gave his friends a pocket watch as a gift.
** Inside Rene's watch was a photo of them from their childhood. Before Rene dissolved himself, he left the watch behind, which was later found by the Traveler.
** Jakob's watch was used as the cornerstone for constructing the body of Narzissenkreuz after Rene's experiment failed.
** Mary-Ann's watch was worn on the chest of the humanoid Oceanid Ann.
===Etymology=== 
* Alain's surname, Guillotin, is derived from French doctor , who fought for using more humane methods of execution. This ultimately led to the development and usage of the , which came to be associated with him after he spoke in favor of it before France's National Assembly.
** While Alain Guillotin's founding of a research institute focused on may be a nod to how guillotines operate, ironically, the real-life Guillotin was not involved in the guillotine's development and was not an inventor at all.
==Gallery==
Item Unlocked Treasure Image.png|Young Alain on the far left with Mary-Ann on his right side
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
==References==
es:Alain Guillotin