In a today playthrough I lured the voidwoken that appears for the "Lost and found" quest near magisters Varland and Benson (a dirty trick to make way for Higba to escape), and I have noticed for the first time that Benson is either poor or he forgot his shield at magister barracks or something.

Please someone give this poor guy a shield. He is currently wielding a 1H axe and nothing more. The voidwoken makes short work of them both. It's almost comical.