I apologize for the shouty caps but I wanted to make a point. That the operative word in 'fiction novel' is 'fiction': as in made up. As writers and readers, I think we often get caught up in the 'rules' of fantasy that more famous authors have come up with. These rules include elves, vampires, werewolves, etc.
What I want us all to remember is that when you create a fantasy world for your story, there are no rules. Your elves don't have to be benevolent immortal beings with blonde hair and pointy ears. They can be evil with short life spans. Through reading, I've recently discovered that wolves and humans aren't the only were animals in the fictional world. And mermaids aren't all beautiful creatures with shimmering tales and flowing hair.
Many of the fantastic creatures that make fantasy novels so special have their roots in ancient legends. You can stay true to those ancient traits if you like. But you can also tweak them a little--or a lot. Often, we writers restrict ourselves to the status quo when it comes to putting these species in our own work. However, there are no rules that say a creature needs to be this way or that. Creative license gives authors an amazing power to change any and everything.
Create religions. Nuns don't have to be Catholic. They don't have to be revered for their holiness. They can be the zealous soldiers of a destructive dragon king. They can be men or even genderless. Create a world without religion or a place where many religious factions view for power. Push the boundaries and see what remarkable worlds and beasts you can create.
