: How would you torture one of your MC without having a permanent injury? I am a young author writing a fantasy series. I have been thinking about this for a while. In my fourth book, one

@Gretchen741

Posted in: #Antagonist #Characters #Protagonist

I am a young author writing a fantasy series. I have been thinking about this for a while. In my fourth book, one of my MC’s gets captured by the antagonist. Th MC that was captured is the closest person to the MC ( the first person narrator). The antagonist knows this and instead of killing him, tries to get information about the MC out of him with torture.
I’m pretty sure it’s not possible to go through something like that(MC rescues him) and be perfectly fine in say, a year or so. He would still have mental and physical damage for the rest of his life.
The problem is, he can’t be injured or crippled. I need him to be fine for the rest of the series. So how do I do that in a logical way? Maybe he wouldn’t be completely fine, but still well enough to stay sane and fight with the rest of the characters. But he can’t just have a few bruises, cuts, and minor burns. That’s not really torture, and that would be super nice of my antagonist who is a horrible horrible person. He’s gonna have missing limbs or something like that.

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@Kristi637

@Kristi637

Magic/Psychological
There is a scene from Eragon(book not movie) where the elf princess person(forget the name right now) is being tortured by the evil shade man(also forget name). The torture methods themselves were magical and physical, but you can torture with magic or just poking them a bunch with sharp objects. Once the MC is on the brink of death, or at least consciousness, heal them and repeat. Once you've done this as much as you want, have the rescue happen right after the MC has been healed, and he is completely fine.
For psychological torture, which will probably work better for you, I happen to know quite a bit on(don't ask why). One way which is kind of psychological but also physical, is to chain them to a wall and have a very slow drip fall on their head. Make sure it's a nice damp dark dungeon, and after they lose track of time, the drip starts to feel bigger and bigger until it feels like a sledgehammer. Will probably yield results in three-four days. I've never tried this method but it sounds interesting.
Two other methods I have in mind; one I read in a book the other is just my disturbed mind. The method I read from the book is;
Make them wear pink. This will start to make them feel degraded. You will need other prisoners for maximum effect. After you capture them, toss them into a cell and tell them that they will be killed in two days. Then start to play loud chaotic music through the speakers, do not show any signs of passing time in the cell. Feed the prisoner twice at three hour intervals, telling them that thanks to (insert evil leader name here)'s mercy, their fate is still being decided. At the nine hour mark remove them from the cell and tell them that they need to stay in this rehab facility until further notice. This rehab facility will be a brainwashing building, where they will attend classes with other pink-wearing prisoners about how (insert evil leader name here) is really not so evil after all and is in fact trying to save the world. Keep the prisoner here until they lose their mind or convert sides.
For my version, you shove them in a cell, do strobe lights with a shepherds tone for a day, no food or water, then open the door and say it's been three days and everyone they cared about is dead. Prisoner will be exhausted and nearly insane by this point, and if insanity is not yet achieved put them to work doing pointless tasks with no end(ie, remove water from this basement but the water is being pumped back in). Leave them there for a while but don't let them rest. One they have 'successfully' finished the pointless unending task, feed and water them and take them to another room and say they can sleep for eight hours. Thirty minutes later, resume strobe lights and play air horns to keep prisoner awake and sleep deprived. Repeat pointless task and strobe lights, and soon the prisoner will barely be able walk and will hate their new 'life'. Once they are just shambling zombies, tell them that if they give them important info, they can get a day off and actually sleep.
I haven't actually tried any of these so I have no idea how effective they will be but something will work for you. Good luck!

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