The Redbrand Robbery

Today my training with my tutor was brutal as he kept pushing me to practice trying to create an arcane ward as I am supposed to be specializing as an Abjurer in service to House Grimhilde. I was later punished for failing to show results but this is a small price to pay to keep the fact that I am already specializing in necromancy. I have kept this secret by keeping a secret spellbook. I ewas able to salvage a tattered spellbook at The Grim Gargoyle a few days ago and have been using it as my proper spellbook for my studies into necromancy. Obviously I can't bring it home so I've been hiding it at Neverdeath and retrieving it every time I go to the library to study with Ernaldis or Talis.
 
Today I met up with Talis briefly while she was on the way out. After a quick conversation I entered the library and found Ernaldis at our usual table at the library. After spending quite sometime researching cosmology and theology, I decided to call it a day and left the library to store my spellbook back at Neverdeath. On my way home, I decided to drop by The Grim Gargoyle again to pick up some "health potions" for myself. Coincidentally Ernaldis was also there looking to restock on his spell components. While we chatted and looked through the store's supplies, some blowhard novice mage showed up with some bandits. They wore red cloaks which fit because they soon introduced themselves as the Redbrands and the mage boasted he was the apprentice of the great Glasstaff (as if we were supposed to have heard of them or something).
 
These Redbrands then tried to rob the store for supplies but, with this being our favorite magic shop in Neverwinter, we decided to take action. Weapons were drawn, spells were cast, and as the shopkeep hid behind the counter we defeated most of these brigands. Unfortunately, some of them fled the store into the crowded streets of Neverwinter. After tying up the surviving attackers in the store, we gave pursuit to the others. While we had some trouble chasing after the ones that ran, a local half-elf hero wannabe helped us take down the last of these "Redbrands".
 
Afterwards, the half-elf introduced himself to us as Tristan Tresendar: a ranger and fallen noble. Seeing how Ernaldis and I handled the situiation with the Redbrands, he mistook as as heroes of some sort and invited us to come with him on a quest to the frontier town of Phandalin. While the promise of heroics doesn't sound appealing, I have heard that there are remnants of old Netherese ruins near there. While most artifacts might've been already scavenged, perhaps I could find osomething that could help me gain knowledge or objects from the Netherese that would benefit me either by granting power or knowledge. Even if the ruins end up being a dead end, I will be in need of steady income and adventuring would keep me on the move once I am able to leave the Grimhildes.