After the fall of the Britons, a prisoner known as the Druid is released. His magic is affecting the natural balance of the world, but can anyone set things right again? Find out in Unnatural Order #1 from Vault Comics!

UNNATURAL ORDER #1

Writer: Christopher Yost
Artist: Val Rodrigues
Colorist: Dearbhla Kelly
Letterer: Andworld Design
Editor: Adrian F. Wassel
Publisher: Vault Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: November 1, 2023

Previously in Unnatural Order: In the days after the fall of the Britons and the Roman invasion of Hibernia, a man known only as the Druid is released. With him, a wave of darkness engulfs the world.

A DANGEROUS PAST

Unnatural Order #1 opens in 54 B.C.E. as a Roman ship makes its way across stormy seas the the island where the prisoner called the Druid lives. Valerius and his men make their way to an ancient, gnarled oak tree and demand the attention of a pale man tearing the heart out of another man. He says the sacrifice has brought Valerius and his men here so that the Druid could be free. Valerius’ men burst into flames or become overgrown by plants.

Years later, Adrina races through the forest with four wolves close on her heels. She calls out to her gods for help. The wolves become humanoid, calling for her blood and demanding to know why she is there. But she is there to be a distraction. She works with Octavius (a Roman soldier), Caden (a Hibernian thief), Eadgyd (a Briton warrior woman), and Gunther (a barbarian). There is an evil in the world, unnatural magic that upsets the balance of nature, and they do their best to end it. This dark magic is said to be the work of Iodoc the Druid.

All of them have had their own encounters with the Druid. He comes and kills, leaving blood in his wake, but using his magic to cloud people’s minds. Each of them has things they can no longer remember about these encounters.

Word of an informant brings them to Londinium. The tavern that is their meeting place is bright and lively. Their informant comes in with an aura of fear about him. He has heard of a prisoner from the south, a man being taken to the Burning Fields to die. But this is a man the Druid fears. He can also tell them where the Druid’s tree is said to be. Of the men who went looking for it, only one returned and he died a horrible death soon afterward. Adrina has a strong feeling that the oak tree is the source of the Druid’s power, but beyond that, her memory is foggy.

The light quality changes suddenly and a tree root bursts forth from the ground to impale the informant. Two enormous plant creatures tear the tavern apart. Adrina uses her magic to set them on fire, and the group leaves the city.

They decide that Eadgyd and Gunther will go to the Burning Fields to find and release the prisoner. Adrina, Octavius, and Caden will go to the island and destroy the oak tree. This should restore the natural order of things. Adrina and her companions reach the island. The beach is strewn with bones in a spiraling pattern, and the oak tree is dead.

The burning fields are full of huge wicker men. The Druid puts his prisoners in them and burns them as sacrifices. So many prisoners are kept here, guarded by men in white robes. Eadgyd kills one of them and steals his robe to blend in as she and Gunther edge closer and closer to the prisoner they seek.

MAGIC AND MYSTERY

I like the dreamy tone of the art of Unnatural Order #1. Using Romans in Brittania solidifies the time period while the linework suggests a world that is wild and touched by magic. The Druid’s oak tree has a dense, squat habit and bears a tangled mass of limbs. It does not look like a normal oak. But it does draw the eye toward it first, and then the gaze takes in the rest of the scene – the tangled roots, the heaps of stone, the bodies of the dead. Against this dark background, the Druid is unnaturally pale and has a feral appearance.

Our group of adventurers clicks into place shortly after we see them in action. Like an adventuring party or a team of heroes, everyone has their specialty and their own distinct personality. I enjoy that they are diverse, coming from different areas of the world, and that there are a couple strong women on the team. Right from the start, we can see that they can work together, but they aren’t beyond having some differences among themselves either. Gunther is particularly amusing. As a barbarian, he lives to fight and has a cheerful enthusiasm despite the dark tone of the book. It is fun to take in his background actions.

BOTTOM LINE: A TERRIFIC OPENING

Unnatural Order #1 opens with a dark grandeur that is captivating and enticing. The stakes are high, but the protagonists are tough, daring to tackle the dangers in their path.

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