Template:Character infoboxTemplate:BigQuoteHorst Borsodi was a son of Maximilian Borsodi, brother of Ewald Borsodi, and later on the owner of The Borsodis' Auction House. He had a reputation as a snob and self-centered buffoon but under his leadership, the Borsodi family managed to sneak into the royal favor of Radovid V with many friends at the Tretogor court ensuring that the auction house was protected by Redanian army regulars like Lance-Corporal Vatslav. He was also the one who moved the auction house into Oxenfurt, presumably to be closer to his Redanian allies.
Biography
Early life
Horst Borsodi was born in Novigrad to Maximilian Borsodi and his partner into a large and, at the time, already rich Borsodi family. He grew side by side with his brother, Ewald. Even though they were of the same blood, their personalities were absolutely different and soon enough they developed an animosity.
While Ewald was more of a rogue and womanizer, Horst became pompous, strict and self-centered. Unlike his father, he was not opened to many things and believed that the auction house was more of a place for meetings of the local elite, not only a source of coins. This caused a gap between the father and his son and was also probably one of the reasons why Ewald was Maximilian's favorite son. In his will, he left the auction house to Ewald. However, Horst decided that Ewald was unfit to continue their father's business as he spent all the money they earned for prostitutes and alcohol. Horst cheated his brother and took the auction house for himself. Ewald was cast into the streets without crowns.
Owner of the auction house
Sometime after becoming a head of the family, Horst witnessed the downfall of Von Everecs, old local dynasty. He bought their debts and immediately after, required them to be paid and since the only living representant was young Olgierd von Everec who, at the time, did not have the crowns required their estates were confiscated. When Olgierd heard about this, he ran to Horst pleading for mercy and tearing his shirt dramatically but, alas, it brought him nothing as Borsodi shut the doors in front of Everec. Some things were sold on the auctions, some not and later Olgierd gathered up enough resources, with the help of Gaunter O'Dimm, to get Von Everec Estate back. Around this point, Olgierd also learned that Horst should not be the owner and waited until he had the evidence to get him down.
During the 1270s, Horst succeeded to get into Radovid V's inner circle, mostly by selling war bounty on his auction. It even got so far that he had a squadron of Redanian Guards to protect the auction house and he did not have to pay taxes since Redanian king gave him taxation zero percent for moving into Oxenfurt.
Heist and family reunion
Horst Borsodi and masked Geralt in the vault
Before O'Dimm could take Olgierd von Everec's soul as agreed between them all those years ago, he first had to fulfill his three wishes via proxy, that, through the whims of fate, turned out to be a witcher Geralt of Rivia. One such wish was for Geralt to bring him the "house of Maximillian Borsodi", a casket with Horst's father's will. When the witcher got to the auction house Vimme Vivaldi introduced him to Horst who behaved arrogantly and was mortified when Geralt mentioned Max Borsodi's House. He raged and demanded to know who told Geralt about the house. He then had two guards throw Geralt outside.
After defeating the guards, Geralt was approached by a cloaked stranger, Ewald Borsodi disguised as "Stranger". Horst watched their conversation through a window at the auction house. Later, when Geralt and Ewald broke into the auction house they were caught by guards. One of the guards manages to sound a bell and more guards were alerted. Horst stormed into the room and, seeing the chaos and the battle, fled and locked himself up in the vault. However, the vault was breached by Geralt and Ewald who revealed himself and how he planned to steal his father's will from the vault to be able to expose Horst as a cheater. Both then asked Geralt to help them defeat the other brother.
Conclusion
Horst and his bodyguards
- Geralt stands by Horst...
When Geralt saw the upcoming fight between the two brothers, he sided with Horst and with their combined strength easily defeated Ewald. Horst then revealed he can not give Geralt "Maximilian Borsodi's house", but that the witcher is free to choose anything else he wants and leave.
- ...and does not kill him
For his help, Geralt was repaid by the ornamented box known as Maximilian's House with papers being kept in possession of the Borsodi, this way both men could have just what they needed and nothing more. Soon after the witcher left while Horst expressed his desire to never meet him again.
- ...and does kill him
When Horst revealed that, despite his earlier promises, he did not intend to give Geralt Maximilian's House, the witcher decided to take it from him by force. Horst died by the witcher's blade before his hated brother's corpse had even cooled.
- Geralt stands by Ewald
Geralt choose to stand by his partner-in-crime, Ewald, in the final showdown between the two. With their strength combined, they defeated Horst and his bouncers. A few moments later, Ewald killed his hated brother in a spectacularly cruel fashion. It was later said none walked behind the once rich and mighty Horst Borsodi's casket and none shed a tear over his grave.[1]
Journal entry
- Horst Borsodi, owner of the most famous auction house in all the North, was a snob and a buffoon. He looked down his nose at Geralt from the very moment they met, and when he heard what had brought the witcher to him, he had his men toss him out and beat him. To say their relationship got started off on the wrong foot would thus be putting it very lightly indeed...
- Geralt stands with Horst:
- Nevertheless, when the Borsodi brothers faced off in a final showdown, Geralt chose to stand by Horst. He never revealed why he made this decision – perhaps he considered a pompous buffoon less of an evil than a bloodthirsty cheat, which is what his erstwhile partner, Ewald, had proven to be. With Geralt's support, Horst managed to defeat Ewald.
- ...but also demands the papers:
- When Horst revealed that, despite his earlier promises, he did not intend to give Geralt Maximilian's House, the witcher decided to take it from him by force. Horst died by the witcher's blade before his hated brother's corpse had even cooled.
- ...but also demands the papers:
- ...but does not take the papers:
- He repaid the witcher for this by giving him the ornamented box known as Maximilian's House.
- ...but does not take the papers:
- Geralt stands with Ewald:
- It came as no surprise, then, when Geralt chose to stand by his partner, Ewald, in the final showdown between the two brothers. With their strength combined, they defeated Horst's hired muscle. A few moments later, Ewald killed his hated brother in a spectacularly cruel fashion. It was later said none walked behind the once rich and mighty Horst Borsodi's casket and none shed a tear over his grave...