EMOTION AMPLIFIER THESAURUS

INJURY



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HELPFUL TIP:

Amplifiers are conditions that enhance emotions, causing characters to become more volatile. This often leads to impaired decision-making, hasty actions, relationship friction, and, best of all, mistakes. When utilizing an amplifier to generate conflict, think carefully about setting choices and which environments will naturally escalate emotion. An amplifier can also be perfect for triggering your character’s negative traits; the resulting fallout will draw attention to how his flaws trip him up and hold him back.
DESCRIPTION:
This painful state develops when a character sustains physical damage or bodily harm, either serious or minor.

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
A cut, scrape, burn, or other penetrative injury
Bruised or discolored skin
Swelling
Strains, sprains, broken bones, or muscle tears
An open wound where blood, tissue, and possibly bone may be visible
Sucking in air, gasping as it happens
Wincing or crying out in pain
Dilated pupils
Bending forward instinctively (to protect vital organs)
Flinching or backing away from the person or thing that caused the injury
Drawing the injured limb closer—curling a broken wrist against the chest, for example
The character forcibly slowing their breathing or taking gulps of air to manage the pain
Tears trickling from the corners of their eyes
Refraining from speaking (or speaking through clenched teeth)
Limiting movement
The character's skin going pale or becoming clammy to the touch
Trembling or shivering
Probing or examining the injury site to get a sense of how bad it is
Using a shirt or whatever is handy to wrap the injury until help arrives
Grunting and groaning
Flinching away from physical contact
Using furniture or walls to stabilize movements
Taking pain medications
Waking up frequently during the night
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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ACUTE OR LONG-TERM CUES:
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EFFORTS TO HIDE THE INJURY:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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EMOTIONS GENERATED BY THIS AMPLIFIER:
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DUTIES OR DESIRES THAT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO FULFILL:
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SCENARIOS FOR BUILDING CONFLICT AND TENSION:
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WRITER’S TIP:
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