Horst

A man can endure only so much abuse before he must strike back— Horst, in Eldest

Horst
Physical description
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Black
Chronological and political information
Affiliation	Carvahall
Family	Ostrec (Father), Elain (Wife), Albriech (Son), Baldor (Son), Hope (Daughter)
Known teachers	Bartram, Kelton
Other
Film Portrayer	Richard Rifkin

Horst Ostrecsson was a male human and the blacksmith of the village of Carvahall. He was a friend of Eragon and Roran. He was married to Elain and together, they had two sons, Albriech, Baldor, as well as a daughter Hope. Eragon, with his uncle Garrow and cousin Roran would occasionally have dinner at Horst’s house. Horst had built his own two-story house in Carvahall overlooking the mountains: he lavished all of his skill on it. Horst is not very fond of the village butcher, Sloan.

Description

Horst was a tall, hulking man with a wild mane of black hair as well as a haphazardly trimmed black beard. He was well-built large and powerful arms are usually bare to the elbow, a hairy muscular chest, and a thick neck.

Personality

Although Horst is a kind man, he is also hard working. Horst considered it against his fiber to cheat a man out of honest work. He considered Sloan a troublemaker and threatened Sloan once by telling him that it would be a bad idea not to sell to him. After Garrow's death he served as something of a father figure to Eragon and Roran: he stood in for Garrow as Roran's father during Roran's wedding to Katrina.

Early life

Horst's father was Ostrec. When Horst was fifteen, his mentor, Bartram, died. Since Horst’s training to become a smith was not yet complete, Horst went in search of another blacksmith, who would be willing to finish his training. He eventually went to Ceunon and met Kelton, who agreed to finish his training. Kelton seemed to be involved with Horst’s marriage to Elain.

Role

In Eragon

When Eragon finds Saphira's egg in the Spine and tried to trade it with Sloan for food, Sloan refused to accept it, so Horst bought the food for Eragon. In order to pay off Horst for buying the food for him, Eragon was offered and accepted the opportunity to work for Horst to pay off his debt.

On the evening of the day the traders arrived in Carvahall, Eragon's family and others had dinner at Horst's house on the day. Later, when the Ra'zac came into Carvahall searching for the egg, Horst warned Eragon and told him to head back home.

After Garrow’s farm was destroyed by the Ra’zac, Horst let the town healer, Gertrude, take care of the dying Garrow at his house and let Eragon stay there as well until he healed after he woke up from the attack. Following Garrow's death, Horst even considered letting Eragon move in with his family.

After the destruction of Garrow's homestead, Albriech wanted to pursue the Ra’zac, a course of action which Horst considered both foolish and dangerous. Eragon's unexpected departure from Carvahall left Horst and Elain searching Carvahall to try to find where Eragon went, while his sons were sent to tell Roran of his father's death.

In Eldest

When Roran returned to Carvahall, having quit his job in Therinsford, Horst allowed him to stay at his house until he had rebuilt Garrow's house and farm. He also gave Roran a job at his forge. Roran helped Horst's family by hunting for food during his stay. His wife had become pregnant with their third child during this time. During this time, Horst was working on Quimby's wagon, but had trouble getting the frame to sit square.

While Horst was working on Quimby's wagon Roran burst into his forge and informed him that the Ra'zac had returned and this time with an army. Horst immediately gave Roran his horse and let him take some food from his house to go hide in the mountains. Horst told Roran he would cover for him by telling the Ra'zac that Roran was out hunting and that they would not know when he would return, and routinely sent one of his sons out to give Roran updates on the soldiers and the Ra'zac as well as on the village.

Following the hay barn fire, Horst sent Albriech to bring Roran back to the village for an assembly with a dozen of the villagers. Once the assembly decided they would fight back against the Empire, Horst distributed tools, weapons, and any items that could be used to fight amongst those present. Later, Horst fought against the Ra'zac at the Battle of Carvahall.

Horst and his family joined Roran in the evacuation of Carvahall and made it safely to Surda.

Role in the Eragon movie

In the movie, almost all of Horst's role is cut: he is reduced to making a cameo at the bar. In the movie, he tells of how his sons were taken by the soldiers to join the Broddring Empire's army, when in fact they played a significant role in the books.