Underworld Connections

Underworld Connections was originally released as a rare enchantment in the 2012 Magic: The Gathering expansion Return to Ravnica, designed to represent the organized crime syndicate of the Orzhov Syndicate. The card mechanics, which allow players to draw cards at the cost of life, reflect the thematic flavor of the guild’s vampiric, debt-collecting nature. Its inclusion in the 2024 Wizards Play Network promotional suite serves to celebrate the enduring popularity of the Ravnica setting, offering players a stylized, alternate-art iteration of a card that has remained a staple in various competitive and casual formats for over a decade.

The 2024 Wizards Play Network promotional version of the card maintains the structural design of the original, utilizing the game’s modern frame to showcase art that leans into the gothic, high-church aesthetic synonymous with the plane of Ravnica. These promotional cards are distributed through organized play events, intended to reward active community members with unique, collectible versions of foundational cards. The design focuses on clarity and atmospheric immersion, adhering to the established visual identity that Wizards of the Coast has cultivated for the Orzhov guild throughout its various appearances in the game's long-running narrative arc.