Stone burner
A conventional weapon fueled by atomics, with adjustable radiation.
A stone burner is a conventional weapon that uses atomics as fuel, allowing its explosive yield and radiation output to be precisely adjusted. Its status under the Great Convention is ambiguous, as it skirts the intentions of the law without technically warranting retaliation. The device emits J-rays, a form of radiation that destroys the eye tissue of survivors, and a sufficiently powerful stone burner can burn through to a planet's core.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Conventional weapon using atomic fuel
- Radiation emitted
- J-rays
- Effect on survivors
- Destroys eye tissue
- Maximum potential
- Can burn into a planet's core
Facts from the source article.
The original series
In Dune Messiah, a stone burner is used in an assassination attempt against Paul Atreides; he survives but is blinded for the rest of his life. The weapon's use is discussed in the series as skirting the intentions of the Great Convention without triggering retaliation.
Prequels
In the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, the persecuted Earl Dominic Vernius, when his hidden base on Arrakis is discovered by the Padishah Emperor's Sardaukar army, ignites a stone burner to destroy himself and as many Sardaukar as he can. The Legends of Dune prequel series depicts the use of pulse atomics calibrated against thinking machines, but does not specifically mention stone burners in that context.
More in Chronicles & Timeline
Elsewhere in Dune
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