After Agatha’s mother gets wrongfully arrested by Witchfinders, the young Witch Agatha and her human friend Casper have to work together to discover the true cause of a mysterious plague in her town of Eastbrook, before her mother gets sentenced.
“Witches to be fined or punished!” reads a poster in the town of Eastbrook.
In the Low Countries, Witchcraft is outlawed. However, the sleepy town of Eastbrook, situated in the province of Utrecht, is too preoccupied with surviving the harsh seasons to be paying mind to the Witch Hunt. They do not realize their endurance through the icy winters may be partly due to magic…
In secret, a young Witch called Agatha has been trying out her craft. She is a real life Witch and wishes to practice her magic. She pays no heed to the warnings of her non-magical mother Clara. After all, she uses her magic just to make her life at her mother’s farm easier! Agatha believes herself to be in the clear, as not even her best friend Casper has discovered her magical capabilities.
But then a mysterious plague sweeps over the small town of Eastbrook. Many townsfolk, including Casper’s younger brother, become incredibly ill. With high fevers, hallucinations and intense burning pain in their limbs, many people are suddenly bound to their houses, their conditions worsening.
The Witchfinders swoop in, declaring the symptoms the result of Witches and black magic!
Agatha’s mother gets arrested, on the suspicion of causing the plague. Agatha and her friend Casper set off on a quest to discover the true origin of the illness, before her mother gets sentenced.
In their quest they are pursued by the vicious Witchfinders and have to venture through strange Witchdens, meeting even stranger individuals.
Although most importantly, they have to learn to rely on each other’s strengths and embrace their differences.
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The Witch of Eastbrook takes place in the 16th century Netherlands, in a fictitious town called Eastbrook, east of Utrecht. The belief in Witches, magic and curses still runs rampant amongst the common people. However, aside from trivial occurrences being blamed on Witchcraft - such as the spoiling of milk or simple downpours - the mayor of Utrecht regards it to be under control. The province has been peaceful and the fining of women suspected to be Witches seems to be effective.
This version of the Netherlands, “the Low Countries”, predates its prosperous 17th century. It takes place during a time where the Dutch had yet to reach their golden age of science and trade. Just as was done at the time, it mixes historical details with fictional tales about Witchcraft. You will find not only the real cities of Utrecht and Wyck there, but also mysterious underground Witchdens filled with mysterious critters.
In the Low Countries, magic and its effects are very real. However, many true Witches have long mysteriously disappeared from their communities once the crackdown began. Likewise, the magic has started dwindling within the families that remained, the newer generations born without it.
Witches are more than women with pointy noses doing nefarious acts. They are individuals gifted with the ability to turn their words into magical effects. Here, intent and the exact phrasing of a spell can be the difference between a success, or a malicious curse. Most are empathetic members of their communities and simply, deeply misunderstood.
The Netherlands knows many beautiful, strange and forgotten tales, which don’t get explored often enough.
The Witch of Eastbrook is directly inspired by a 16th century written work by the physician Boudewijn Ronsse. He wrote this work to convince his skeptical colleague Johannes Wier about the existence of Witches and Witchcraft. It is safe to say he felt Witches were a true danger, as many did at the time, and did not hold the same affections for them as this project does.
Yet the story about a Witch and a curious knave flying on the back of a pitchfork to attend a congregation of Witches sparked both imagination and curiosity about this small piece of heritage. It is rooted deeply in an appreciation for Dutch history, the true locations it takes place in such as Utrecht and Wyck and the interest in the fictitious details. The original tale had many made up details to expand upon. Eastbrook was never a town, but it is a place. There was a mayor of Utrecht, but it wasn’t the man described in the tales.
This has caused a treasure hunt to the history and fiction of the Netherlands and Utrecht in the 16h century. This project is the culmination of the search that spanned real locations, books, museums and conversations with locals.
Finally, it is a love letter to Dutch heritage and history, one to hopefully enthuse both Dutch and foreign onlookers.
Whenever the world tries to press Agatha in the mold of a perfect girl, she kicks, screams, throws off her cap and casts some spells for good measure.
Agatha is a young girl from Eastbrook, who resides at the edge of town with her mother Clara. There, she lives a pretty normal life for a girl her age, helping her mother at her farm... If not for the fact that she is secretly a Witch.
She is no master spellslinger, however. Most of her spells are secret shortcuts to everyday tasks, or incantations to have crops grow when winters were harsh. If her mother found out, she would for sure be grounded. This just upsets Agatha; grandma got to use these spells, why not her? If she can help the people of Eastbrook with her powers, why not do so?
Yet Agatha has to learn that magic cannot solve every issue. Sometimes you have to look past your own stubbornness and ask the help of others.
Curious why swallows fly low before a storm? Wondering which berries are edible and which poisonous? Casper has the answer! But not through his own experimentation. He nearly faints at the idea of being struck by lightning and wouldn't dare to get within 10 meters of a poisonous bush.
Casper likes to gather his information from people and carefully planned experimentation. In Eastbrook, he tends to drive the townsfolk insane with his insistent questioning. The only space his curiosity is welcomed is on the farm of Agatha's mother Clara. She finds his inquisitiveness charming and does not become upset when he takes twice as long to till the field, because he is checking for dangerous snakes.
Despite his anxieties, when his best friend Agatha and his town are in distress, he wants nothing more than to help. While his cautious nature can keep Agatha in check, he discovers you sometimes have to make the leap to truly understand something.
Witchcraft has long been in the family of Agatha and her mother Clara. Though, just as true Witches have started disappearing from the communities, so has the magic from many families. Clara, born without magic, thought the last caster she’d ever see would be her own mother. To her surprise, her daughter Agatha turned out to be a Witch as well.
It’s not easy raising a child by yourself. Much less so when your child can cast magic in her temper tantrums.
Clara wants nothing but the best for her daughter Agatha. ‘The best’ being a quiet, unassuming life in their farm, at the edge of Eastbrook. Safe, provided for and peaceful.
Clara recognises the mischievous, independent attitude of her own mother in Agatha. However, Clara is painfully aware of the trouble casting spells can get you in. As a mother, she would love to protect Agatha from every harm imaginable. Unfortunately, she does not realize the rift she is creating between herself and her daughter, while Agatha develops her powers in secrecy.
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W itch-hunting is an up-and-coming trade within the Low Countries. While those suspected of being Witches have long been fined and warned, the Witchfinders prefer to take a more drastic approach. Preying on the anxieties of the common people, Johannes and his group of men travel through the land. They spread the word about the danger of Witches anywhere they go, uncovering suspected outings of magic and driving those they deem responsible away from their communities by cruel means. This investigation is to be paid for by its scared citizens, of course. Once they have deemed a place free of Witchcraft and sufficiently drained for its resources, they move on to the next.
Johannes is hellbent on ridding the land of any form of magic. No suspected effect of a spell is spared. To him, even the smallest, most insignificant outing of magic could grow to have disastrous consequences. His hatred for the “dark arts’’ flows deep. His men however follow in tow with less conviction. They’re mostly intimidated by their leader, as well as pleased with the comfortable life the Witch-hunting affords them. The bullying of suspected mages has gone over with little resistance. Some even believe no real magic is involved in their cases, though they are smart enough to hold their tongue around Johannes.
The sight of the Witchfinders is set on Utrecht, a wealthy province that hasn’t exactly been welcoming to them. There are little reports of magic. In the few cases that there are sightings, neither the citizens or the mayor don’t see the need for the Witchfinders - or trust them much for that matter. Johannes and his men are all agreed that the foolish public needs a showing of the danger they could land themselves in without their services. Thus, they hatch a scheme to convince not only the people, but also the mayor of Utrecht, that their Witch-hunting efforts should get funded. However, none of them expected to encounter a real Witch within the small town they target...
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To their peers, to their history, as well as the world around them. I believe curiosity creates empathy and understanding.
At the base of this project is a curiosity for my own Dutch heritage and the folktales that come with it. This has set the Witch of Eastbrook on a path to discover both fact and fiction from an age that was both beautiful and turbulent. While diving into a place both close to my home of Utrecht, yet so distant and strange, one cannot help but notice pieces of history still relevant today. The original source may have believed the real danger to be the supernatural, but I believe the inspiration behind the stories to be far more severe. The Witch-hunt is a cautionary tale about polarisation, persecution and no longer listening to one another in favor of rigid ideals.
Agatha and Casper face these struggles directly, while being confronted with all the added consequences of such an environment; stringent expectations of who to be, insecurities, anxieties and relationships in peril. Yet, through their curiosity, determination and cooperation they persevere. They learn not only to listen to others, but their own hearts as well.
In an environment that sees more polarisation creep in day by day, I wish to give children the tools that may guard them to not grow estranged from those around them. In this, inspiring them to be curious may just be the seed that brings about positive change.
To be understanding, even in an increasingly hostile world, may be a real feat of magic.
My sincerest thanks goes out to everyone that wished to engage with my curiousity during the development of my project.
I would like to especially thank; Frank and Luna for guiding me in the creation of this story.
My friends and fellow artists Frederique and Kayne for their creative contributions and sketches.
My mom, dad and sister for supporting my long nights, passionate rants and being an amazing source of feedback and encouragement.
My partner Wytze for all the help with writing and being the very first one to share the joy of this project with me.
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