Hazel & Lux Intro (Patreon)

Here we go, a proper intro for Hazel & Lux! You may have seen these two popping up in my sketchbooks every now and then- they’re a lot of fun, but aren’t a ‘front runner’ project in my order of priorities… I’d like to do something with them one day, maybe something other than a comic (a VN maybe??) we’ll see! All of this information is subject to change as I haven’t really ‘worked’ on their setting/story that much, but hopefully gives some interesting context to them.

WORLD

Their setting is a blend of modern day and fantasy. There are cars, cities, smart phones, the internet, etc- but there‘s also magic, and races other than human (Think DBZ world, haha).
The ‘overworld’ is the equivalent to our world- and is united and ruled by a world government. There aren’t many people who have the ability to practice magic, so wizards (gender neutral) tend to be well-known/have mild celebrity status. To practice magic legally you need to be licensed. 

There also exists the ‘underworld’- where demons live, and where magic is much more common/abundant. The underworld/overworld were in conflict for ages but eventually a treaty was made- now there is no interaction between either world- the rulers of each are left to govern as they see fit, there is no legal immigration, information from each is tightly controlled. Leaders from each meet once every three years, mostly just as a show of good faith to continue the treaty.

Familiars

The majority of wizards have a familiar. There’s a variety of familiar ‘species’, all of which originated in the underworld but have become native to the overworld over time. They only become a ‘familiar’ when they make a familiar pact with a wizard- a magical binding agreement where both the familiar and the wizard agree to give their life to protect the life of the other. This pact gives each of them access to the other’s magic, making both of them more powerful. 

HAZEL

Late 20s/early 30s

Human

Hazel is a wizard. While at (name tbd magical school) he was considered their best student, and it was believed he’d be their top graduate and go on to work for the world government/be an influential figure. Under mysterious circumstances he left the school prior to graduation but was still given a license to practice magic (previously unheard of). This was the subject of a lot of ‘celebrity gossip’ but the details were never released. To everyone‘s surprise he took on a small county as his jurisdiction, semi-retiring to a quaint countryside home where he performs simple charms and other such tasks for the locals. While widely believed to be a waste of his talents he’s declined all invitations for more important work, and keeps to himself/out of the public eye.

LUXDRUMMION

Age unknown

Demon

Just who is this guy? An eons-old demon, he clearly pissed off someone powerful enough to place an incredible curse upon him. He calls himself the shadow prince of the underworld and seems convinced of his royal status. He certainly acts like a brat.

STORY

Hazel is quite happily living his quiet, peaceful life when he finds what he believes to be an injured imp while out gathering spell materials. It‘s non-verbal, aggressive, and covered in mud. He takes it home to clean it up and feeds it, leaving a window open when he goes to bed under the assumption it’ll leave on its own once it’s rested.
Surprise! It doesn’t leave. Still quite aggressive, Hazel gives it space but leaves food out for it. Over the course of a week or so it becomes attached to him and he starts taking it with him on errands. Kind customers give him children’s hand me downs to dress it in.
Hazel finds he enjoys the company, even if he does have to stop it from attacking people’s pets and breaking things. Since it doesn’t seem interested in leaving, he offers to make a familiar pact with it- Hazel hasn’t had a familiar for years.

After making the pact he texts a photo to his friend (an illegal magic practitioner) who tells him that it’s definitely not an imp. Hazel double checks (magic google) and realizes he’s right. His friend comes over for a better look and to try and figure out what it is. On a whim Hazel casts a spell that forces demons to speak their name- and the ‘imp’ says LUXDRUMMION. 

Oh shit! You’re in trouble now Hazel. Demons aren’t supposed to be in the overworld, and you’re definitely not supposed to make a familiar pact with one. Lux doesn’t really seem like a danger though- and he still can’t talk, so could he really be a demon? That night while Lux sleeps on his lap Hazel does some magic investigating- and realizes Lux is under an incredibly complex curse, like a mass of tangled knots. Absentmindedly he fiddles with it, and manages to undo one of the knots-

In an explosion of smoke and shadows, Lux’s full form is revealed. He’s ecstatic to suddenly be free and sweeps Hazel up in his arms, sprouting wings, breaking through the wall, and carrying Hazel off into the night hooting and hollering. Up in the air he twirls Hazel around, calling him the world’s greatest wizard, and kisses him.
The freedom doesn’t last long though. That was only one knot of the curse! His sudden rush of power runs out, and he‘s forced back into his cursed form. They plummet to the earth, but Hazel‘s a wizard, so it’s all good.

Hazel is now stuck with a familiar that is definitely a full grown, possibly highly dangerous, demon under the most powerful curse he‘s ever seen. He tries to magic google Luxdrummion but the information has all been wiped as part of the under/overworld treaty act. The only place with intact pre-treaty knowledge is the library at the school he left under mysterious circumstances 14 years ago. Now Hazel has to face the past he’s been hiding from if he wants to untangle the mystery of Lux… and find out why agents from the underworld are suddenly out for their blood :^) 

***

HAHA okay that was more in-depth that I intended but I have that beginning section pretty well worked out and I think it’s fun… I hope that caught your interest! Over the course of the story Hazel slowly undoes more of Lux‘s curse, which lets him shift between forms more easily/allows him to speak even in his cursed form. He’s lost most of his memories and can’t remember who cursed (and imprisoned) him. Of course they end up going to the underworld!!