Kulullû, inscribed ku6-lú-u18/19-lu, “Fish-Man”, an ancient Mesopotamian mythical monster possibly inherited by Marduk from his father Ea. In later Assyrian mythology he was associated with kuliltu, “Fish-Woman”, and statues of them were apparently located in the Nabû temple in Nimrud, ancient Kalhu, as referenced on a contemporary administrative text.[1]

He had the head, arms and torso of a human and the lower body and tail of a fish and was portrayed in sculptures found in palaces and on kudurrus. With a bitumen smeared clay figurine, he seems to have found special purpose attracting prosperity and divine benevolence to households, as his icon was inscribed ri-da hi-ṣib KUR-i er-ba taš-mu u ma-ga-ru, “come down abundance of the mountain, enter intercession and compliance”.

He appears in Mesopotamian iconography from the Old Babylonian period onward. The Agum-Kakrime Inscription places his apotropaic icon on the gate of the ká-su-lim-ma, the chamber of Marduk and his divine consort Zarpanītu. He was one of the eleven monstrous spawn of Tiāmat in the Epic of Creation, Enûma Eliš. He is one of the demons listed in tablet VIII of the Šurpu incantation series, the ritual to counter a curse of unknown origin. He also features in a hymn to Marduk and the gods of the Esagila.

On the one hand, this is clearly Dagon. On the other hand, this is clearly how someone trying to pronounce “Cthulhu” underwater would sound. On the other fin…

Merfolk

• Hit Dice: 1
• Armor Class: [12]
• Attacks: Weapon (1d6)
• Saving Throw: 17
• Special: Breathe water
• Move: 1/18 (swimming)
• Alignment: Any
• Challenge Level/XP: 1/15

These legendary beings have fish-like bodies from the waist down, and have human torsos, arms, and heads. They use weapons that are convenient in water, including daggers, spears, and tridents. These creatures live exclusively in large bodies of water. They may occasionally trade fish and other sea bounty to human villages, but generally they keep to themselves.

Merfolk villages generally have a population of 1d3x100 individuals. A leader will be present in any group of 10 merfolk, and the leader has 2 HD. An exceptional leader will be present in any group of 50 merfolk, and the exceptional leader has 4 HD. These leaders save as a fighter level equal to their HD number. The Labyrinth Lord may choose some sea creatures that act as guards for merfolk communities.

Labyrinth Lord