Abgal (Akkadian Apkallu)

In the distant past, amphibious creatures that were half-human and half-fish came out of the sea every day to advise humans on all matters of civilization. The advisors were humankind's teachers about life in cities, agriculture, justice, divination, and astrology – as well as about the state, and especially the value of kingship. After the deluge, these advisors stopped coming. However, there were highly-educated priests who had memorized their wisdom and passed it from one generation to the next. These priests not only ensured that the knowledge was not lost. They also had advisory roles, and were invaluable to kings for the sacred wisdom and advice they could share. Advisors were no longer these mystical supernatural creatures, but instead highly-educated humans who had conserved the wisdom of the Apkallu.