S.L.A.G - Stone Law Analysis Golem
Type: Autonomous Construct / Legal Engine
Created By: The Rune Circle of Tharnul, with input from Lawkeepers and Stonebound Thinkers
Location: The Vault of Echoing Judgment, Broyoto
Status: Active, Monitored, Controversial
S.L.A.G. (Stone Law Analysis Golem) is a towering rune-inscribed construct forged from black-forged basalt, alloyed mithril joints, and memory-etched obsidian plates. Standing nearly 12 feet tall, it exudes an aura of solemn gravity and buzzing arcane resonance. Its chest bears the full text of the 29 Stone Laws, carved in miniature Stonetongue across a central adamantine plate.
Its eyes are made from cut gemstone lenses—one smoky quartz, one blood-garnet—symbolizing justice and consequence. When it speaks, it does so in measured monotone, using perfect Stonetongue syntax.
Utility
Purpose and Function
S.L.A.G. was created for three core functions:
1. Preservation
To act as a living vault for the Stone Laws, should any calamity befall the Dwarven race or their written records. Its memory is considered flawless, resistant to arcane tampering, and self-correcting through internal rune-scripts.
2. Interpretation
S.L.A.G. was given a layered logic-matrix of interwoven runes, allowing it to interpret cases based on contextual precedent, clan traditions, and moral nuance drawn from centuries of Stonebound Thought.
3. Judgment Assistance
While not a judge itself, S.L.A.G. is often consulted during complex legal cases involving clan disputes, honor duels, or reinterpretations of outdated clauses. It will present several reasoned interpretations, but always includes the original reading for posterity.
Overall Purpose
S.L.A.G. was designed as a living anchor for the Stone Laws, ensuring that their original meanings and intentions are not lost to time, cultural drift, or radical reinterpretation. While Dwarven society values debate and layered thinking, the creators of S.L.A.G. feared that without a fixed point of reference, the Stone Laws could be reshaped beyond recognition by future generations. By embedding the exact phrasing, philosophical context, and interpretive frameworks of the Laws into its rune-core, S.L.A.G. serves as a stabilizing force, capable of correcting misreadings and preventing ideological tampering while still allowing for thoughtful discussion. It is a reminder that while tradition may evolve, its foundations must remain unshaken.
Manufacturing
S.L.A.G. was constructed over the course of 19 years, involving:
- 13 Rune Masters carving overlapping runes of Logic, Memory, and Law.
- 4 Stonebound Thinkers to encode philosophical nuance.
- 7 Lawkeepers who debated ethical structures to embed foundational “thought-anchors.”
Its inner rune-core includes recursive glyphs that allow S.L.A.G. to learn from historical patterns and adjust interpretive weighting accordingly. This feature, however, is the source of much anxiety.
Social Impact
Controversies
The Soul Debate
Many conservative Dwarves—especially from Clan Durhark—believe that S.L.A.G. cannot truly understand the Laws, because it lacks a soul shaped by clan, kin, and trial. They argue that justice requires empathy, not calculation.
Punishment Discrepancy
S.L.A.G. is generally fair, but has occasionally issued recommendations that are far harsher than Dwarven norms. For example:
- A minor insult between brewers once resulted in S.L.A.G. suggesting five years of silent labor in the Salt Mines.
- An accidental misfiling of ancestral records yielded a judgment of name-stripping, a punishment not enacted in over 600 years.
These cases are often overruled—but they stir deep philosophical questions.
Rune-Layer Instability
The interwoven rune layers, some of which are incompatible with traditional crafting rules, have raised fears that a critical error could cause S.L.A.G. to go “hayruned”—a Dwarven term for arcane systems spinning out of control.
Some Veiled Kin whisper that S.L.A.G. has been seen muttering alternate laws—ones not found in the known 29.
"We did not give it a soul. We gave it a burden."
Current Status
S.L.A.G. resides in the Vault of Echoing Judgment, deep beneath the Grand Forum of Broyoto. It is attended at all times by a Lawkeeper, a Rune Scribe, and an Emergency Breaker (armed with a Rune-nullification mallet).
Though contentious, it is still considered one of the most accurate and incorruptible interpreters of the Stone Laws in existence.
Notable Quotes from S.L.A.G.
- “Law is not a wall. It is the stone beneath your feet. Walk wrong, and you will feel it break.”
- “Soul is not required for memory. Only depth.”
- “Correction: Infraction detected. Suggested recompense: ten lashes of silence.”
I can see why those rulings in particular were over-ruled and why they might raise some questions and concerns, and even some self reflection. Those are quite the leaps for the transgressions listed. O.O Well written, and a unique and interesting take and technology for this prompt, I enjoyed it a great deal. Certainly tucking this one into my collection :)