Happy ThorsDay - Austri
Well here we are another Thor’s Day and another 20 min sketch of a Norse (and Germanic) mythological characters. This week it’s Austri. Dwarf ( Dverg / Dvergr / Dwarven).Austri “The East”, was the Eastern Pillar. After Ymir was killed, the the Dwarfs emerged, made of his blood mixed with his bones the mountains. Four of these first Dwarfs were Nordri (North), Sudri (South, Austri (East), and Vestri (West). Each would be tasked with holding up the heavenly dome of Aurgelmir’s Skull as the sky at it’s four corners, or cardinal points. As Odin Vili and Ve threw sparks from fiery Muspel into it to form the stars in the night.
Sometimes associated also with the four winds, as something they push out, and can control. Associated as either aspects of themselves, or something they give birth to. I imagined that he’s grown large and strong holding up the sky, and his billowing lungs could push the winds of the east, sending them on their way, as a means for them to be out in the worlds they sustain but can never go into themselves.
Also sometime associated with the Four Stags that eat the branches of Ygdrasil, the World Tree. As they’re associated with the four winds as well, and their names are dwarven names. Dainn, Dvalinn, Durathor, and Duneyrr. The association is either as an aspect of the four pillars, or an aspect of the wind that comes from them.
