As for occults in stories, it’s possible to include humor and darker themes at the same.
Most people that follow my updates know that I’m a fan of merfolk, but one of the many reasons why I love merfolk, merfolk myths, merfolk fairytales, and merfolk folklore has a lot to do with where merfolk live.
The ocean has a fantastic duality I draw a lot of inspiration from, and I like to think it influences the nature of the merfolk in my story.
The ocean is both a beautiful place and filled with danger. It’s dark and it’s bright. Some things sea creatures do will make you laugh and smile, other times, there are some very scary creatures in the deep. It’s both the good and bad, and you can’t experience the ocean without the possibility of encountering both sides of a duality.
In real life, outside the realm of fiction, or in the real world, it’s not impossible to have two conflicting elements in the same space. It happens all the time, and it’s a part of the complexity of life.