Corporial Persuasion [Discussion] - Open to all

[Nynaeve]

Okay, first of all I want to point out that we're talking about this from a CotL point of view in the world of WoT. Your personal view on this topic in RL is not what I'm looking for in this discussion. You can dabble with that in the appropriate discussion board. Not here ;)

 

 

Now lets start!

 

This topic is Hand of the Light related. Or rather, they're the experts when it comes to this. Once a person is deemed a Darkfriend, a lot of information can be gained from that individual. If they're the talking sort, gaining that knowledge is relatively easy and ultimately ends with a quick death. However, some Darkfriends are a tough nut to crack. So, some more creative and unconventional methods are applied, making his/her death excruciatingly long and painful. Some would even say, monstrous. There is also the situation where there is a suspicion of someone being a Darkfriend, but there is no full certainty yet. That means that one needs to get to the bottom of things to find out... in less than pleasant ways.

 

But how far? Does the end justify the means? A person deemed a Darkfriend is a walking corpse, really. But would you consider it inhumane to use torture to extract information about other Darkfriends of some sort of ill activities he/she might be aware of? If you find it acceptable, how far would you take it? Where would you say the line is? (if there is any).

 

Discuss :)

 

 

 

 

Nyn

[Jehaine]

Sharina absolutely abhors it, and as a healer can and will not want herself to be associated with this kind of behavior. Should she learn of it she'd strongly advocate the stain that is the Hand of the Light be separated from the Children.

 

(OOCly my views are less extreme however, when there is a certainty that the man is a Darkfriend i say all stops out and see how many names you can get wrung out of the poor sod. It's war out there anyway. My main gripe is that they do it to everyone and their cousins on even the vaguest of rumors.)

[Nynaeve]

Well, see, aside from the Hand's job description, I always felt that a secondary job is internal affairs. I'm sure they sometimes put other CotL to the question if there's a suspicion of infiltration of any kind. Even in RL, the internal affairs section is an unloved one  lol  After all, the law enforcers need enforcing as well, from time to time.

 

So, the reason why I think the CotL are uneasy about questioners when they see them is not just because their unconventional techniques but also because a verbal disapproval of their methods might put suspicion on them. If you're against torturing Darkfriends then perhaps you are conspiring with them? Perhaps you don't want them to share something they know that might implicate you? It can easily be interpreted as a warning sign to Questioners, as opposed to a person expressing an opinion, based on his ethics (that originates from their upbringing and whatnot).

 

 

It actually makes me think up something interesting.... adding another character development option to the requirements. After all, the CotL are soldiers, and all soldiers need to learn withstanding torture and the like, to reveal as little information as possible to foes. It would actually be interesting to write up some sort of 'experience' where CotL are snatched from their rooms. Sort of like a test, you would say. *grins*

 

 

 

Nyn

[Erathian Avenger]

Well, I think Sylos would have no issue with using torture- just so long as he was the one doing the torturing. He can ethically justify it to himself, but since he doesn't know the thought processes of the questioner or how certain they are of someone's guilt before they start 'questioning' them, he wouldn't approve of the Hand very much- or the Seanchan Seekers for Truth.

 

And while snatching the Children out of their beds would make for an interesting test... they ARE soldiers. It would end with some nasty casualties in at least a few instances, I would think.

[Nynaeve]

I don't really see it that way (if I get what you mean). I think that aside from being trained to withhold interrogation, it's tightly tied with a person's character. There are people that would take it upon themselves to protect someone and wouldn't open their mouth for anything. Others would put their well being as a priority. While there's nothing wrong in either approach, you understand why the CotL would appreciate the more resistant sort, rather than the squealers.

 

The RP I suggested wouldn't be something extreme, like what the Hand does to DFs. After all, there's no desire to break the soldiers. Then they'll be useless, even if they did pass. It's just putting them in, what seems to them, an extreme situation and observing how they react. Some mild things can be added, like a punch here and there or some such (don't want to get into specifics, cause I need to think it through a bit more and I'd like to be accurate)... but all in all, it shouldn't permanently damage them.

 

 

 

Nyn

[Erathian Avenger]

Well, mostly I just meant that if they woke up mid-kidnapping it could get very ugly. After all, they aren't going to know what's going on, and they are probably going to immediately think they are being abducted by darkfriends.

[Nynaeve]

Nothing that can't be solved by slipping something to their drinks at supper ;)

 

 

 

Nyn