Architect Houston
Names: Architect HoustonHouston
First appears in Book 7: This Inevitable Ruin, chapter 12 ([ 8 ])
Appearances
What you know
Book 7: This Inevitable Ruin
- Ch 12Architect Houston is the Viceroy leader of the Madness; nobody has managed to get into his operating theater lair.
- Ch 24Architect Houston, the Viceroy leader of the Madness, wears a white mask with a red teardrop and white pope-like robes.
- Ch 25Architect Houston is ruled not culpable for lack of a confession, and threatens Carl over mentioning his mother.
- Ch 25Architect Houston has a bug-like six-armed body under his robes and shot Carl through the shoulder as the ceasefire ended.
- Ch 52Architect Houston reacts with apparent excitement to Juice Box's tentacled alien form, which terrifies the other warlords.
- Ch 53Architect Houston says gaining access to the creature the Viceroys call The Beautiful Place is his life's work.
- Ch 77Architect Houston appears to be in the operating theater next to the throne room, with a dead Team Retribution NPC.
- Ch 78Architect Houston is prime of the Viceroys because he has made the most scientific discoveries, mostly using the Grease Monkey.
- Ch 78Houston has the Grease Monkey physically fusing his body with the corpse of the changeling Namico.
- Ch 78Houston claims the changelings are the key to reaching 'the Beautiful Place', the greatest discovery in history.
- Ch 78As the fused changeling transformed, the dying Houston rejoiced that he had found someone, 'not just an avatar'.
Connections
- leadsThe Madness
- enemy ofWar Leader Arief
- family ofNurse Yugoslavmother
- enemy ofCarl
- ally ofCommander Stockade
- related toViceroyis a
- member ofThe Madness
- leadsViceroy
- related toThe Grease Monkeyoperates and is being operated on by it
- enemy ofBurcu
Key moments
- Book 7 · Ch 24Field ruling on the Lemig plot
Panford leads a minor quorum showing how Stockade used Summon Ally to pull Carl to his base, replaying Katia's dream memories; Stockade's outburst is ruled an admission of guilt.
- Book 7 · Ch 25Ruling and Stockade's death
The quorum clears the Madness and Princess Posse and penalizes the Lemig Sortion, but Stockade, maddened by Shi Maria's spell, kills himself, and the Lemig assets go to the Madness.
- Book 7 · Ch 25Faction Wars begin early
The ceasefire ends early; Houston shoots Carl as he teleports home with a stolen bag of cat food, and enemy artillery begins striking the Princess Posse's shield.
- Book 7 · Ch 51The warlord council assembles
The warlords gather at the production facility; Carl meets the imposing naga warlord Princess Vinata, whom his team plans to kill.
- Book 7 · Ch 52Juice Box's warning
Juice Box denounces the outsiders, transforms into a terrifying tentacled alien and warns that something is coming for everyone, then leaves.
- Book 7 · Ch 53Houston explains Juice Box's form
Architect Houston explains the many-named creature Juice Box impersonated, which Tagg dismisses as superstition.
- Book 7 · Ch 78Houston's surgical theater
Carl finds Houston fusing himself with a dead changeling, Zeynep's mutilated corpse, and a captive Burcu, all ringed by Sheol-fire traps; Carl jumps between tables to free Burcu and loses his invulnerability.
- Book 7 · Ch 78Death of Architect Houston
The fused changeling transforms; Carl's rescue of Burcu goes wrong, the Sheol-fire traps fire, and Houston and Burcu die while Carl phases out, earning the kill and defeating the Madness.