Austri
At the place where morning breaks and the light of the world spills first upon the land, Austri, whose name means “East,” holds his vigil beneath the ever-turning sky. He is one of the four dwarves chosen by the gods to bear up the corners of the heavens after the death of Ymir, and it is Austri who anchors the dawn. Where Suðri embodies fire and depth, and Norðri the stillness of frost, Austri brings the sharp clarity of beginning. He is the dwarf of newness, of awakening, of breath taken before the first word is spoken. Though the sagas do not tell of his speech or forge, his name is whispered with reverence each morning, when light touches the world again.
Austri is the bearer of direction and purpose, the guardian of each day's unfolding. His role is eternal, but not without grace—he watches the first stirrings of birdsong, the rising of mist over fjords, the blooming of the sun on the edge of the sky. Though seldom mentioned in myths beyond the creation of the world, his presence is felt in every new journey, every oath taken with the sun as witness. To the seers and poets, Austri is the compass point of vision and intention, the one who makes space for movement, who lifts the sky so that the road ahead might be walked.
Visual Description:
Austri is often depicted with windswept hair the color of sunrise—pale golds, soft ambers, and glints of rose. His beard is neatly bound, braided with feathers and bright stones, and his eyes are pale, cloud-grey with flecks of light like sun-struck frost. His garb is layered in warm, natural tones—ochres, soft whites, and pale blues—woven from linen and rough wool. His cloak bears the embroidery of the world tree's eastern boughs, where life stirs with the first light.
Artists often place Austri standing atop a cliff or high place, facing the rising sun with one hand outstretched to the dome of the sky, holding it with the ease of someone born for this singular task. The horizon behind him is streaked with early light, and seabirds circle his figure as if in greeting. His expression is neither stern nor smiling—it is alert, focused, ready. A figure made not of fire or stone, but of wind and sky, purpose and promise.