You have seen the postings by Orrin, and you have heard that people are coming from as far away as Absalom. You decide to go, and on the second day, there is a long line of people waiting, but your early arrival was enough to ensure that you were able to sign up and still enjoy the day.

It is an odd process. You are asked to fill out two identical forms, one on normal paper, and one on a fancy parchment. The parchment form uses its own pen, and you would swear the ink has an odd smell that is hard to make out. Both forms require your full name plus any alias, age, place of birth, and your estimated age. They also have an oath that if selected you will take the job. In short, if you fill out the application and are picked, you will be hired. It is clear the parchment is being used for more than just this.

Finally, each parchment has a number on it twice, one in the top left and bottom right corners. That is written down on the paper one, and the bottom right corner is torn off and given to you.

At the end of the day, Orrin hosts a large feast to which all applicants are invited, filling a good part of the square. There is good food and drink (though Orrin’s men control how many draughts people are allowed to take). It is a fine time. You find yourself meeting others in the crowd and learning a thing or two about your fellow applications. There is an excited tension in the air.

After two hours, Orrin himself appears with Osyria. She limps on a withered, blackened leg.

Orrin says, “Thank you all for your offers of service. I regret that I cannot hire you all. Every man and woman here has a destiny, but not all lay alongside my road. For those that are not accepted, I say to you now, keep seeking challenges in the world, for there are many that must be faced if we are to keep the darkness at bay.

“Now, Osyria will assist in the selection of candidates.”

Osyria nods and goes through a ritual where she lights a fire in a caldron. She throws special powders onto it, causing the flames to change color. Then, one by one, she reads aloud the number of the application in her hand and she throws it into the fire. Each piece of parchment burns.

However, when she gets to number 12 the parchment explodes in a white flame, like burning phosphorus. Orrin says, number 12 congratulations, please come forward. You are selected. This happens a total of six times, including when your number is called.

The characters were escorted to Orrin’s offices in town, where he outlined the agreement. The Characters are offered:

• Room and Board in Almas when they are there, on one floor of Ostric’s offices and suites.
• 5 gp/month for living expenses
• Any loot they get from a mission, that is not the object of the mission
• Specific payment for some missions

He also told them of their first mission, is to escort the Negotiator, Alyn Grayson to meet with the Druid Darsheeva. The goal is to set up a treaty with the her in the north woods to establish an area for growing a renewable crop of trees. The idea is to set up a massive area, share profits with the druids (in some form as they don’t want gold) and then agree to leave the woods alone. It is his first step in going after the Lumber Consortium.

Darsheeva is a middle aged human, with Fey blood (Dryad). She was raised by a human Ranger, who was in a minor noble family. Before the death of Aoden, she left Andoran and signed over her holdings to other parties. Now she is a name spoken in whispers by logging families, that if you are not careful, Darsheeva will get you!

The party agreed and spent the next day with breakfast with Orrin and then getting ready to travel by barge up river to travel to the forest. Orrin supplies passes for the river and horses for those that do not have them.