Redbrand Hideout
Redbrand Hideout
The **Redbrand Hideout** is a network of underground tunnels and chambers located beneath the ruins of Tresendar Manor in Phandalin. Once part of the manor’s cellars and crypts, it has been repurposed by the Redbrands as a base of operations, prison, and refuge from the law.
Overview
The hideout’s halls are narrow and damp, lined with crumbling brick and the faint scent of mold. Torchlight flickers across the walls, revealing makeshift furniture, stacked crates, and signs of hurried habitation. The sound of dripping water and distant scuttling echoes through its passages.
Adventurers learned of the hideout from Carp Alderleaf in Session 03 – Welcome to Phandalin, and from the testimony of townsfolk desperate to be free of the Redbrands’ cruelty.
Layout
- **Cellar Entrance:** Hidden behind a secret door in the ruins of the manor.
- **Common Room:** Used by Redbrand thugs for gambling and drinking.
- **Barracks:** Small, foul-smelling sleeping quarters filled with stolen goods.
- **Torture Chamber:** A grim reminder of Glasstaff’s rule.
- **Nothic’s Lair:** A collapsed chamber where a mutated creature, bound by Glasstaff’s promises, guards his secrets.
- **Crypts:** Resting place of the Tresendar family, haunted by skeletal guardians.
- **Glasstaff’s Laboratory:** A study filled with scrolls, potions, and personal notes linking Glasstaff to the Black Spider.
Key Figures
- Glasstaff – The hideout’s master and the Redbrands’ leader.
- The Nothic – A twisted, one-eyed creature that lurks in the depths.
- Redbrands – Thugs and mercenaries enforcing Glasstaff’s will.
Current Status
The hideout remains partially occupied. Some Redbrands have fled, others lurk in the shadows, and the Nothic may still guard what remains of Glasstaff’s arcane experiments.
Appearances
- Session 03 – Welcome to Phandalin – Mentioned by townsfolk and Halia Thornton as the Redbrands’ base.
<details><summary>🧩 DM Notes (Spoilers)</summary>
Truth: The Redbrand Hideout predates Tresendar Manor by centuries. Beneath its lowest levels lies a sealed chamber from the time of the Phandelver Pact, inscribed with runes that once channeled magic from Wave Echo Cave. Glasstaff rediscovered fragments of this magic, experimenting on the Nothic and testing containment wards inspired by draconic rune-craft.
Foreshadowing:
- The Nothic’s mutation mirrors the corruption caused by contact with draconic essence — a theme that resurfaces in Rise of Tiamat.
- Artifacts or notes left behind by Glasstaff could contain references to “the Dragon’s Shadow,” hinting at the Cult’s early influence.
- If the players explore the lowest tunnels, they may uncover sigils identical to those used later by cult ritualists in Waterdeep or the Mere of Dead Men.
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