thelastvisibledog asked: Nahiri is fantastic, and so is the story. Much thanks to the creative team and Kelly Digges. I noticed that she is very similar in appearance to Stoneforge Mystic, and not just by being a female Kor, but also her clothes, haircut, and abilities. They are so similar it seems beyond coincidence. Is Stoneforge Mystic supposed to represent Nahiri in some way?

Nahiri was part of a tradition of kor stoneforgers — powerful mages who forge weapons from stone — and that tradition still exists on Zendikar today (which we know as the card Stoneforge Mystic). Nahiri’s (awesome) art by Eric Deschamps was definitely modeled on the art of Worldwake’s Stoneforge Mystic.

Nahiri, the Lithomancer art by Eric Deschamps

Nahiri’s title of “the Lithomancer” relates to this same tradition of stoneforging, and her talents in crafting with stone contributed to the trapping of the Eldrazi on Zendikar along with Ugin and Sorin. In short, Nahiri is the creator of Zendikar’s hedrons.

More in “The Lithomancer” by Kelly Digges:

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/ur/lithomancer-2014-10-29

Art by Igor Kieryluk