| Me | Hello, I'm new here. | |
| Hodges | Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm really not in the mood for conversation - I'm totally wrecked. | |
| Me | You're awfully busy, huh? | |
| Hodges | You can say that again. Bennet makes so many weapons that I can hardly keep up with the polishing. | |
| Me | What can you tell me about the farm? | |
| Hodges | This is Onar's farm. | |
| Hodges | That big building is his house. He vacated a wing for the mercenaries. | |
| Hodges | We farmers have had to bunk in the barn ever since. | |
| Hodges | (hastily) But it's all right with me, it's good that we have people who guard the farm. | |
| Hodges | The building here is the kitchen. | |
| Hodges | The kitchen is in the building with the smithy in front. | |
| Hodges | Maybe you'll be lucky and Thekla will have something for you to eat. | |
| Me | What about the mercenaries? | |
| Hodges | Onar hired them to keep the city militia off our backs. | |
| Hodges | But they also guard the farm, the sheep and us farmers. | |
| Hodges | So don't even think about stealing anything or rummaging around in somebody's chest. | |
| Hodges | They're just waiting for a chance to knock you down. | |
| Me | Can I buy weapons from you? | |
| Hodges | I don't have much. We take almost all the swords and axes into Onar's house. | |
| Me | Why aren't you working? | |
| Hodges | Haven't you heard yet? The paladins have arrested Bennet. | |
| Me | What happened? | |
| Hodges | Well, we were in the city to shop, when all of a sudden we heard a scream. Someone yelled: There they are, get them! | |
| Hodges | Boy, was I scared! I took to my heels and ran like the demons were after me. | |
| Hodges | Bennet was right behind me. I don't know what happened, but when I got outside the city, he had disappeared. | |
| Hodges | I must have lost him in the city. | |
| Me | So why was Bennet arrested? | |
| Hodges | Murder! Bennet is supposed to have murdered a paladin. What nonsense. I was with him the whole time. | |
| Me | So why don't you go to town and explain the whole thing? | |
| Hodges | They'd stick me in the slammer as his accomplice. Naah, certainly not in the current situation. | |
| Me | Situation? | |
| Hodges | You know, Onar and the city, that's bound to come to a bad end. | |
| Me | How did the mercenaries here on the farm react? | |
| Hodges | Naturally, I don't know exactly what they're planning, but some of them are really pissed off. | |
| Me | I can understand that. | |
| Hodges | If it were up to them, they'd rather attack the city today than tomorrow to get Bennet out. | |
| Hodges | Talk to Lee, maybe there's something you can do. | |