The seven who decree fate were the ruling council of the gods in Sumer. They would take advice from the high gods and the lower gods, but they did all of the actual ruling and made all of the decisions on how fate would play out. Their strength was derived from the tablet of destiny crafted by Enki. Upon this tablet was inscribed the order of the universe. The laws that governed every aspect of civilization and the law to which the gods themselves submitted. Each of the seven presumably had a copy of this tablet.