Lawrence Burton (in-universe)

Lawrence Burton was a 21st century writer in a version of history where the Great Houses were fictional. The Houses came to regard Burton as the Enemy because he wrote their very existence in works such as Against Nature, ensuring the continuation of the War in Heaven just to make interesting stories.

The Great Houses fought Burton using technology kept in the Hall of Autophagic Weaponry.

Burton began thinking about what his story We Are the Enemy would be about during one of his daily bicycle rides. As recounted by Goralschai, the Great Houses used everything they had to make a tree fall on the bike path to disrupt Burton's concentration. Burton was instead inspired, having the idea that he could be the Enemy. (PROSE: We are the Enemy)