Chosen of Markov // Markov's Servant

Chosen of Markov was released in 2012 as part of the Dark Ascension expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Set in the gothic horror-themed plane of Innistrad, the card features the double-faced mechanic introduced in the block, representing the transformation of vampires and their thralls. It was designed to capture the lore of the Markov bloodline, one of the most powerful and ancient vampire houses in the game's setting, specifically illustrating the ritualistic transformation of a servant into a vampire under the influence of their masters.

The art for the card was created by Aleksi Briclot, a prolific contributor to the game known for his atmospheric and moody fantasy illustrations. Briclot utilized a dark, somber color palette to emphasize the oppressive, fearful environment of Innistrad. The design was intended to provide players with a functional mechanical representation of 'flip' cards, rewarding strategic play by allowing the front-side creature to transform into a more powerful entity once specific conditions were met, a mechanic that was generally well-received by the player base for its thematic integration of horror tropes.