The creator of a fantastic fiction universe
gets to set the rules for how the
stock mythical creatures and peoples work, regardless of how they
usually work. This isn't haiku, here. You can use as many syllables as you want.
However, the audience is going to want you to stick pretty close to the
rules you pick. When you violate your own rules, you get a
Wall Banger.
A writer invokes this trope any time they want to use a famous critter or race without having to deal with the all of the
various baggage said critter has accumulated in folklore and pop culture over the years, allowing them to leverage existing tropes and characteristics only as much as they want to.
Tropes
