Blog

Stranger from Another Land

One of the trickiest aspects of life as a Planeswalker is not announcing yourself as an outsider. While none of Enigma’s peers would ever mention it unless they had good reason, the truth is that they often don’t have to. If a stranger shows up wearing a style of clothing you don’t recognize, unfamiliar with your local customs and culture, one naturally assumes that said person is not native to the area. As such, ‘walkers are quick to adapt to new planes by adopting local fashion and customs as a way to fit in and be more discreet.

Enigma is a special case, being proficient in illusion magic and possessed by Companion. This allows him to glamour his own clothing and reshape his signature weapon to better blend in. Here, you see him wandering a land where locals talk of wandering swordsman who travel to and fro for any number of reasons. Just stories, to the mind mage, serve as the perfect cover.

This is another piece from KneeNipple in May of 2022 where it belongs in concepting because while it depicts a version of symbiote Enigma, the information also pertains to how normal Enigma would handle planeswalking and blending in with the locals.

It was also an excuse to lean on and indulge in the old trope of the wandering warrior, particularly the samurai in this case but the archetype has been seen in many cultures throughout history. As someone who watched a lot of anime growing up, it’s inevitable that some of its influence will sneak into my interests and my work.