ok, so, I've done a lot of thinking on this especially after getting a comment on, like, the second chapter of CaP; why are Techno's and Tubbo's arms scared from their cuffs if slaves having cuffs is a normal thing? why would a common practice needlessly hurt the slaves?
Well, I have an answer!
The truth is, it's not common. not really. most cuffs chafe and are generally uncomfortable, but they don't break skin. For a collar and set of cuffs to break skin, it either means the slave is very disobedient or the master is very cruel. with the nature of this society, most people assume the former. especially once money gets involved.
collars and cuffs can be made in all sorts of ways with all sorts of different criteria required depending on what the slave is registered for. most of the time, a simple leather-lined, thin plate metal set is enough. these will do little damage to the 'asset' but function well enough to restrain them if needed.
but, as we already know, fighters have a whole other set of restrictions. their collars and cuffs need to be heavier, thicker, and able to withstand a ton of wear and tear as well as heavy-duty restraints if an asset goes rogue. These precautions make fighter cuffs so much worse, leading to chaffing and occasionally broken skin.
"but void! that won't cause scarring!" yes I know. those types of collars and cuffs are called treated or refined collars and cuffs. they have smoothed edges and often, if they are made well or cost a lot of money, have some sort of padding on the inside to help with the situation.
untreated collars and cuffs do not have this. they are sharp, raw metal and that's it. they are also cheaper. so someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on their slaves (Schlatt) or someone who just like's watching their slaves suffer (Techno's old master) would use these. Untreated collars and cuffs combined with rough treatment would defiantly be enough to tear away whole layers of flesh and, eventually, scar brutally.
hope that answer makes sense! and uh, thanks for reading?
so, I was reading back through some of the earlier chapters of CaP for a side piece I'm working from Enderwalks perspective and I stumbled on this line--
Tubbo moved on to the benefits of nuclear energy and how a nuclear bomb would be the best way to go.
Techno wasn’t convinced, but if Tubbo was the one setting it off it might be ok.
--and, honestly? I think this might still be one of the saddest things I've written. cause, like, throughout this whole time, Techno's been in a strange war between living and dying which has vaguely come out to be he doesn't want to die but he's ready too. and then he meets these guys and they are nice to him and they make living good again, even if he doesn't understand it, and this is his first reaction??? that dying at one of their hands wouldn't be so bad actually???
I made myself sad.
ok, continue on with your regularly scheduled programs.