Plausible motivation for evil entity?

1. Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #1

   I've hit a writer's block while working on my latest sub. The basic scenario involves aliens that  are lured to another world by this evil entity which them imprisons and mutates them into hideous abominations.  Initially, I envisaged the being as being merely motivated by purely sadistic impulses. However, does that sound like a plausible motivation? Would a sentient being go to all that effort merely to amuse itself? Or would it make more sense if it was driven by an impulse  that aimed at getting a tangible trade-off? Thanks in advance for any feedback or suggestion.

2. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #2

   What did it mutate them into? If it's gibbering tentacle monsters he forces to engage in unspeakable acts with each other, then sadistic glee is a valid motivation.  The Morgothesque Elves into Orcs transformation would be a far more pragmatic villianry, obviously with bigger plans of conquest.  Or there's the Dr Moreau/GLaDOS motivation of "For Science!" This one likely ends with things just as terrifying as the sadistic glee option, though with less tentacle porn.
   
   Now on the more basic question of "all that effort for so little reward," I'm going to have to say it doesn't seem too improbable.  Especially for a being powerful enough to trick an entire race, one who has likely become jaded with the traditional pleasures of its race, an amusing diversion like this wouldn't be entirely ridiculous.

3. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #3

   I agree with Pariah that a pure motivation of sadism is not so implausible. It might be implausible for say a normal human being with the normal moral compunctions but not necessarily so for an sentient being of much more power. In fact, I would say it almost makes more sense for such a being to be driven just by sadistic pleasure in something. I'm imagining a kind of sole God figure in the entire universe (or just ultimate God of a world would do), he has all this power but is all alone and really has nothing to do so he mucks around with lower creatures for his amusement, a bit like how we play RPG games on PS 2/3.

4. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #4

   *The whole SCP universe functions on the premise that the deities are amateur horror fiction writers. So, amusement is not an improbable option.
   
   *The 'for science' option is also viable - it could be an experiment in evolution, for example. The entity mutates them into dangerous critters, and then checks which of them is fittest. This goes well in hand with rapid reproduction and growth of the creatures, to see the experiment's results sooner.
   
   *It could be for artistic purposes. Race-sculpting could be an ongoing contest between the members of this ancient god-race - and some artists want to shock.
   
   *The entity could be clueless (so alien that it doesn't get that whatever it is doing is bad) or frankly mad. It could be a child, playing. Putting Sims into a room and selling the door...
   
   *There could be a pragmatic purpose - creating soldiers, minions, food, or drug factories (the entity could be harvesting them).
   
   *Vengeance - the entity was once a member of the race, but was exiled. In exile, it found Phenomenal Cosmic Power, and returned to settle the score.

5. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #5

   How about something simplistic like "Dog Boy", an Arkansas boy, and later man, who evidently enjoys torturing dogs (and cats) for whatever reason(s). This entity also tortured his parents.
   
   eldar

6. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #6

   Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Your responses and suggestions were very helpful. After having mulled over this for some time, I've decided to incorporate a few of the suggestions that this thread has elicited, going for a variety of motivations as opposed to just settling for a single one. 
   
   To start off, I like the idea of a powerful being that is bored that it wiles away its time by performing sadistic experiments on its alien captives.  Having lured them to its domain by appealing to their altruistic sentiments, it now delights in their misery. Additionally, as suggested by Echo Mirage it also happens to have an odd sense of aesthetic beauty and wishes to enliven what it sees as an otherwise dull and mundane world. However, there is a more pragmatic aspect as well. Determined to create a race of beings that will bring about a utopia of equality where there will be no anguish or misery, he wishes to spawn an entirely new  race that will conquer the world. This is brought about not so much by altruism on its part but is rather driven by a narcissistic impulse to transform the entire world into a literal mirror of what it regards as its own perfection    The captured aliens are used as soldiers to raid remote villages and drag away the  women for the creature to spawn with. Does the last reason strike anyone  as a viable motivation?  Again, thanks so much for your help.

7. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #7

   In my opinion, yes, after all, it is only through such bonding that its perfect race could emerge (presumably with some essence of itself embedded in them) as opposed to the lowly creatures that emerge out of (whatever he used to do to create them) or arise all by themselves.

8. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #8

   Would this evil entity actually 'lower itself' to mating with the aliens?
   
   I would think not...
   
   eldar

9. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

   #9

   The aliens are not intended as its mates. Much like the orcs of  Middle-Earth, they serve as its minions and raiders. In this case, they abduct human females for it to mate with.

10. Re: Plausible motivation for evil entity?

    #10

    Abducting human females is a standard trope, very much expected of evil sleazy deities.

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