Spirit of the Night

Spirit of the Night was released in October 1996 as part of the Mirage expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Developed by Wizards of the Coast, Mirage served as the first set in the Mirage block and was designed to be a standalone experience with a focus on flavor and thematic cohesion. This card represents a powerful black creature, reflecting the set's setting of Jamuraa, a continent inspired by various African cultures and environments, which offered a departure from the traditional European fantasy tropes common in earlier sets.

The artwork for Spirit of the Night was created by the illustrator Terese Nielsen. Her design sought to capture a sense of ethereal, nocturnal menace, utilizing a distinctive color palette and flowing linework to emphasize the card's supernatural essence. Upon release, the card became a notable inclusion for players due to its high mana cost and potent keyword abilities, establishing it as a classic example of high-end, late-game threats from the mid-1990s era of the game.