Severance Priest

Severance Priest was released as part of the Tarkir Dragonstorm promotional set, a series of cards distributed through Magic: The Gathering events in early 2015. The card was designed for the Khans of Tarkir block, which emphasized a time-travel narrative where players experienced an alternate version of the plane's history depending on whether they supported the dragonlords or the khans. As a rare creature, it was crafted to provide tactical utility within the White-Black color identity, focusing on the mechanics of life drain and battlefield control that defined the Orzhov-adjacent playstyles of the era.

The card’s illustration was commissioned from Scott Murphy, an artist known for his vibrant and character-driven fantasy work. Murphy approached the design with a focus on the solemn, ritualistic nature of the priesthood within the Tarkir setting, opting for a palette and composition that emphasized the character's eerie, spiritual authority. Upon its release, the card was well-received by players for its thematic consistency with the set's lore, as well as its functional integration into competitive limited and casual deck-building environments.