Protection Ritual of the Four Dwarf-Gods
Protection Ritual of the Four Dwarf-Gods
Allan Carruthers
Ideally, this ritual is done with four hammers and an anvil, but if you cannot find such things, take four large sturdy metal objects that are longer than wide and that you can hold in your hand (knives or small pots or pans can work) and a metal surface (like an overturned pot) that you can strike them on. Decorate the four metal pieces in some way with ribbons or cloth strips of green, yellow, red, and white. This marks them out for Austri, Sudri, Vestri, and Nordri.
Face the east, and say:
Austri, Breath of Spring Air,
Bellows of the Sacred Forge,
Keep me safe throughout the season of beginnings,
Keep all harm from my eastern door,
Guard my mind and memory and more.
Strike the green-ribboned object onto the metal surface three times. Face the south, and say:
Sudri, Breath of Summer Heat,
Furnace of the Sacred Forge,
Keep me safe throughout the season of growing,
Keep all harm from my southern door,
Guard my will and word and wanderings.
Strike the yellow-ribboned object onto the metal surface three times. Face the west and say:
Vestri, Breath of Autumn Coolness,
Quenching-Bowl of the Sacred Forge,
Keep me safe through the season of falling,
Keep all harm from my western door,
Guard my bed and body and blood.
Strike the red-ribboned object onto the metal surface three times. Face the north and say:
Nordri, Breath of Winter Frost,
Anvil of the Sacred Forge,
Keep me safe throughout the season of sleep,
Keep all harm from my northern door,
Guard my hearth and home and hame.
Strike the white-ribboned object onto the metal surface three times. Say:
O four Duergar, cornerstones of the Nine Worlds,
You who guard tree and tribes and tales,
Watch over me, and those I care about,
Keep us all safe until the end,
Keep us all safe until the Gods take us.
Take all four of the objects in your hand and strike the metal object once. Then take those objects and make sure that they are kept in four different places in the home, for protection.