ᛉ Algiz

Algiz takes its name from a word for elk or elk-sedge, and its branching shape is widely read as an upraised hand, an antler rack, or a shield — every reading points the same direction: guarding, warding off, standing between danger and what matters.

Someone born under Algiz is traditionally read as protective by instinct — the person who watches out for others, sometimes before they're even asked to. The classical reading also links this rune to a kind of alertness turned upward, toward guidance from beyond the immediate moment, not just outward vigilance against threats.