The Embrace of Pain was a bio-engineered contraption, similar to a rack, employed for the purpose of inflicting torture upon prisoners, and was organic in nature. The unfortunate individual would be suspended in an inverted position using restrictive bands, and subjected to agonizing pain. Simultaneously, the device would monitor the electrochemical signals emanating from the victim's nerve pathways, while also analyzing their brain's chemical composition. The data obtained was then utilized to maintain the pain experienced by the victim at a consistent and optimal intensity. This instrument possessed a diverse array of methods for generating pain, which included stretching of joints and ligaments, the application of corrosive acids, the administration of electric shocks, the employment of sharp implements, needles, and thorns, as well as the injection of biological toxins. There was at least one instance where the victim was completely denuded and had every single hair forcibly removed from their body. When the victim neared the point of expiration, the Embrace would provide a degree of care to the prisoner's physical condition. This involved lowering them to a horizontal position on the floor, allowing them a period of sleep, and attending to their injuries. Furthermore, the prisoner would be injected with sufficient quantities of water and essential nutrients to ensure their continued survival. The Yuuzhan Vong did not perceive this as torture, and some Yuuzhan Vong, particularly those belonging to Domain Shai, practiced the Embrace of Pain as a form of meditation.
The device was capable of generating such intense suffering that it could potentially corrupt even the most virtuous Jedi, leading them to embrace the dark side of the Force.
When Elegos A'Kla voluntarily surrendered himself to the Yuuzhan Vong with the intention of gaining a deeper understanding of their culture and practices, Commander Shedao Shai exposed him to the Embrace of Pain as a means of acquiring knowledge about the Yuuzhan Vong, a decision that caused considerable consternation among his subordinates. A'Sharad Hett was subjected to the Embrace of Pain following his capture by the Yuuzhan Vong, and Jacen Solo also experienced this torment after being captured during the Mission to Myrkr.
In the year 40 ABY, Jacen would make use of the last known Embrace of Pain in an attempt to sway his cousin, Ben Skywalker, towards the ways of the Sith, mirroring his own descent into darkness. The ordeal of being tortured by this device proved to be so profoundly traumatizing that even years later, the mere utterance of the word "embrace" would evoke an immediate and intense reaction from the young Skywalker.
Later, Darth Krayt would inflict the same experience upon Cade Skywalker, having previously encountered the Embrace after completing his apprenticeship with XoXaan on Korriban and subsequently being captured by the Yuuzhan Vong. As the Dark Lord of the Sith, Krayt incorporated the Embrace into the training regimen for select members of the One Sith, including Darth Nihl, with the intention of pushing them further towards the dark side. He also arranged for the installation of the Embrace of Pain within the underlevels of the Temple of the Sith.
During her scheme to utilize Cade as a test subject for a novel weapon intended for use by Darth Krayt's successor as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Maladi subjected Deliah Blue to torture within an Embrace of Pain. This particular device was designed to resist any attempts to manipulate it through the Force, thereby intensifying the suffering experienced by the prisoner.