Line #30 Literature/TheWitchesOfBailiwick


1	[[quoteright:211:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ThEveryDayWitchCover_7655.JPG]]
2
3	''The Witches of Bailiwick'' is a LowFantasy Young Adult series by Sandra Forrester concerning the adventures of twelve-year-old witch Beatrice Bailey. She and each of her three friends (Teddy, Ollie, and Cyrus) live in the ordinary world, [[TheMasquerade blending in with non-magical people]] with relative success. Although some of their classmates are (rightly) suspicious, in fact Beatrice and her friends are just "Everyday Witches", capable of only mundane magic, as opposed to the prestigious "Classical Witches".
4
5	But on Beatrice's twelfth birthday, as she is about to officially receive her classification, she instead is given a quest and learns some family history: many years ago in the [[MagicLand Witches' Sphere]], her ancestor Bromwich Bailiwick and his four daughters were imprisoned by the evil sorcerer Dally Rumpe, who then cast a {{curse}} on the land of Bailiwick. Since then, each Bailiwick female has been given the task of attempting to free their ancestor, and now it's Beatrice's turn.
6
7	Over the course of five books, Beatrice and her three friends journey through the Witches' Sphere, freeing the five realms of Bailiwick one at a time. Typically they spend time preparing for the mission of the book and exploring {{backstory}} details while staying with magical allies, and also dealing with [[ShapeShifting Dally Rumpe's]] [[TheMole treachery]].
8	-----
9	!! This series provides examples of:
10	* AlphaBitch: She stalks Beatrice, trying to prove that there's something "wrong" with her.
11	* AsYouKnow: The Witches' Executive Committee is legally required to explain the quest to Beatrice and company before they set off on each part.
12	* BetaBaddie: Rumpe is said to be motivated by jealousy of Bromwich.
13	* BigEater: Cyrus, but only human food. He hates [[ForeignQueasine witch food]], though he'll stomach it if he really needs to. He gets teased for this.
14	* BlowYouAway: A subset of Beatrice's abilities, as she controls weather.
15	* BoringButPractical: Ollie can boil water, and Teddy can [[DetectEvil detect enemies]].
16	* CainAndAbel: Bromwich and Dally Rumpe.
17	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: Played straight with Winter Wood, but the curse manifests differently in the other parts of Bailiwick.
18	* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: In the third book Ollie uses his power to boil some sea monsters alive.
19	* FisherKing: Enforced, since the terrible weather/monster infestations are caused by Rumpe's curse.
20	* IncredibleShrinkingMan: Cyrus' specialty.
21	* KidHero: The task of defeating a powerful, evil sorcerer is given to a gang of 12-year-olds.
22	* TheMasquerade: "Reform witches" live among mortals.
23	* MedievalStasis: The central region of Bailiwick stayed how it was when it was cursed.
24	* TheMole: At least one person the heroes encounter per book is Dally Rumpe in disguise, or suspected of being a spy on Dally Rumpe's side.
25	* NonhumanSidekick: Cayenne, Beatrice's cat.
26	* OminousFog: Werewolf Close.
27	* OutOfFocus: There are thirteen witches on the Witches' Executive Committee, but only three get names and dialogue.
28	* {{Pun}}: The "Ghost Guard".
29	* ReedRichardsIsUseless: Beatrice's ability to control the weather is always treated as mundane and relatively useless, but even our trope page points out a good use for her ability. Maybe justified in that she can't always travel to whatever part of the world with weather-related problems, but why does no one think of the potential?
30	* TheResenter: Dally Rumpe, as noted above. On the other side, Miranda Pengilly.
31	* RhymingWizardry: This is how spells are cast, usually taking the form of a little rhyming poem about 3-5 lines long, although more powerful ones can be ''really'' long.
32	* RobeAndWizardHat: The Executive Committee, and most Traditional witches.
33	* {{Sequel}}: The Witches of Widdershins Academy.
34	* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Played with. Spells tend to be very wordy.
35	* WildWest: Winged-Horse Mountain.
36	* WorthyOpponent: Bromwich Bailiwick and Ebenezer Duvall.

Context Literature / TheWitchesOfBailiwick