Why are we here?

We all wake up. This is unexpected. We are all together in a small room none of us have seen before, surrounded by strangers (as we don’t know each other yet) the room has a bed and chest for each of us, and we are all wearing plain gray gi’s. The walls are stone, and there are no windows, but there is a door on the small end of the room with a torch next to it, that provides enough light to see.   We aren't dead, which is interesting. And we eye each other with suspicion. But, before we can do anything hasty, the door opens and 2 figures walk in. One is a human, who moves with the easy grace of one trained in martial arts, and the other is a halfling, who stands at his side like a lieutenant.   The man, Dunbar (or #1) explained that he has saved us (well, first he made sure we were publicly killed, but then he saved us). He introduces #2, and gives us each a number that we are to use instead of our name, and tells us that our old lives are a thing of the past. He asks if we have any questions, and says that we should ask them now because there may not be time later.   We are all a little stunned, and have a hard time articulating the multitude of half formed questions in our minds.   Though, one of us asks one thing that suddenly seemed like a very good question indeed. “Didn’t I just die? Was I really dead?”   The answer is a simple “Yes.”   To the rest of the world we still are dead, and this way, we can move about freely with no one keeping tabs on our location. He gives each of us a number to be identified by, and says we should rest because our training will start tomorrow, and then they both leave.   We talk to each other, and explore the contents of the chests.   The room we are in turns out to be the sleeping barracks and one of three structures on a small rocky island (in the middle of nowhere). The other two structures were a small house where Dunbar and Rool stayed, and a lighthouse with a magical light. The middle of the island was taken up with a training ground. Dunbar enforced us using our number for a name, (which was harder for some to accept than others) and started training us to work as a team.   The first few days were devoted to running laps, it was grueling and exhausting. Though it was the most difficult for #7, Ranrom the dwarf. Every time Dunbar would address him by number, he would refuse to answer to it, and insist his name was Ranrom. Dunbar would strike out faster than anyone ought to be able to move and render Ranrom unconscious.   He also told us of our mission; to do what governments could not, to stop the Scarlet Brotherhood. The Scarlet Brotherhood wants to give the world to animals, as people are too… much like people.   Our training continues.