To Side with Horst or Ewald: A Witcher‘s Dilemma

As a seasoned witcher entering the deadly vault of the Borsodi Auction House, an ally with insider know-how could mean the difference between a glorious payday or an ignoble end. Brothers Horst and Ewald both offer their aid in the "Open Sesame" heist quest – but which one should you trust to better your odds?

Horst‘s Strengths: Force, Fearlessness and Ferocity

Horst Borsodi cuts an intimidating figure that inspires dread in the townsfolk of Oxenfurt. Backed by a small force of hardened bandits, he prefers using brute strength and bold fearlessness to overcome enemies. Siding with him allows you to leverage those assets.

Allies and Numbers

Horst has superior numbers with battle-tested soldiers – useful for storming a heavily guarded mansion. Ewald instead relies on stealth and cunning.

Rewards: Wealth and Loot

The vast wealth of the Borsodi estate is your ultimate reward. According to tester estimates, the mansion contains ~3500 crowns in cash, plus over 2000 crowns worth of expensive loot like paintings, artifacts, and fine clothing.

Though Ewald technically owns half the estate, he lacks Horst‘s hired muscle to seize assets, making Horst more likely to secure greater rewards. However, Ewald‘s insider knowledge may help uncover hidden caches.

Personality: Boldness Over Brains

Horst is also defined by arrogance, pride, and love of excess. While not the schemer his brother is, his ego leads him to flaunt his wealth instead of securing it. As redditor u/Witcher1058886 notes:

"Horst doesn‘t think things through. He hired the bandits to intimidate the peasants but that just brought annoying witch hunters."

This fits with his bravado in the quest – Horst focuses on domination, not long-term thinking.

Ewald‘s Advantages: Cunning, Calculation and Betrayal

By contrast, Ewald Borsodi relies on his intellect over might. He is underhanded and always planning his next move, making him unpredictable. This lends certain strengths in the tense backstabbing of the Borsodi family feud.

Allies and Knowledge

Ewald himself is no physical threat, but his mental talents partially compensate. He likely knows secret passages and hidden leverage points – if you can stomach his betrayal.

Reddit users like u/Vulkan192 highlight this advantage:

Ewald‘s probably got more knowledge of the house‘s secrets. Horst doesn‘t seem the type to care about that sort of thing, being more the ‘smash and grab‘ type.

So Ewald has a edge in navigating the labyrinthine vault‘s many traps.

Rewards: Stopping a Betrayal

While Ewald technically owns half the estate, almost all movable assets have been seized by Horst already. However, Ewald promises to use his contacts to ensure you receive your payment for the heist.

Of course, his subsequent betrayal means you only get paid by killing him and taking the vault‘s contents. But as u/Processing_Info on r/Witcher puts it:

I killed them both, because why wouldn‘t I? I never planned to split the reward with anyone.

So with Ewald, you retain the option of defeating both brothers and keeping all the spoils.

Personality: Secret Schemes

Ewald is consumed by jealousy towards his brother, and obsessed with leverage and secrets he can exploit – what TVTropes calls a "Smug Snake." As u/dire-sin notes:

Ewald is hateful toward his brother so he wants what Horst has…He thinks he‘s smart enough to outmaneuver everyone and get the whole inheritance for himself.

This drive means he will unveil the mansion‘s hidden assets to use against Horst – which you can then claim by force after dealing with them both.

Conclusion: Choose Ewald for Cleaner Infiltration

While arguments exist for both potential patrons, Ewald‘s foresight, insider information, and focus make him the ideal mastermind for smoothly navigating the heist and defeating the house‘s defenses.

Horst can overpower enemies through brute strength, but lacks the cunning to leverage the vault‘s secrets. Ewald has planned his brother‘s downfall for years, and can aid the breaking and entering against a fortress he likely helped design.

Of course Geralt faces many decisions where the "right" path is unclear – here, roleplaying concerns like loyalty may reasonably lead you to pick Horst instead. But for efficiently tackling the challenges of the quest and fully raiding the Borsodi fortune yourself, Ewald Borsodi is the man with the plan.