Buri is the founding member of the extra-dimensional race of beings known as the Asgardians who were the gods of the northern tribes of Northern Realm, after countless centuries of nothingness (save the Well of Life and the unending expanses of frozen ice that were the lands of Mist to the North and lands of Fire to the south) that was the world, Ymir, first of the Ice Giants, emerged from beneath the frigid plane as if by magic. Seconds later, following the birth of Ymir, came the cosmic primeval god Audmilla. For ages, Ymir and Audmilla roamed the frozen wastes, Ymir protecting Audmilla, as his own.
One day the Audmillia found something stirring in the ice. At first the new form was unrecognizable but then "slowly, powerfully, a noble head appeared above the ice... And thus the first of the good Aesir came into being! Look well at him! Look well at the one called Buri! For those who follow him shall be gods!" Buri grew wise and strong and took Ymir's daughter a Frost Giantess wife and was succeeded by a son, Bor. Bor in turn took a wife (the giantess Bestla) and fathered four sons: Cul, Odin, Vili, and Ve, the four founding Norse gods - although Cul would be forgotten for a long time.
Buri went into self-imposed exile after mileniaia of ruling asgard as a god called Tiwaz. He as the 1st of his kind was the oldest and most powerful of his race. As such was responsible for the creation of much of asgard which he shaped as he saw fit and created many powerful weapons of asgard. As the founding father of the Asgardian race Buri's powers were far beyond those of all else of his race. Aside from the conventional Asgardian physical abilities he possessed physical strength on a level beyond Bor, Odin and Thor. It is unknown with him using his other powers to augment his strength and unlike his grandsons his strength has not decreased with age as he has been stronger then in his youth.
Buri possesses magical abilities to an unknown degree, said to be far beyond even the Odinforce he has demonstrated the ability to bring inanimate objects to life, a power few gods posses. He can also change the size of himself or other beings and posses some degree of matter transmutation as demonstrated by freezing a frost giant in ice. The full extent of his powers and they are far above his son Bor and grandson Odin.