Aerie Ouphes

Aerie Ouphes was released in 2008 as part of the Eventide set, the second expansion in the Shadowmoor block for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. The set explored a world undergoing a mystical shift from light to darkness, characterized by hybrid mana costs and mechanics that rewarded players for interacting with permanents that possessed multiple colors. Within this lore, the Ouphes were depicted as mischievous, nature-dwelling creatures that served as a thematic bridge between the whimsical and the slightly more sinister tone of the evolving plane.

The card illustration was created by artist Jesper Ejsing, whose work often features high-fantasy aesthetics with a focus on creature movement and vibrant, painterly textures. Ejsing sought to capture the nimble and somewhat frenetic nature of the Ouphes, grounding them in the rustic, overgrown environment of the Shadowmoor woods. The design was received by players as a functional utility card, noted primarily for its ability to persist—a keyword mechanic that allowed creatures to return to the battlefield after dying—making it a recurring nuisance in tournament play.