Here cometh the Tal Shiar

After picking up the Way of D'era box set several months ago, I decided I really, really, really wanted to run a Tal Shiar campaign. The basic premise is this: it's post-Dominion war and things are still shaking out within the Romulan Empire. The Tal Shiar has not been destroyed completely, but it has lost many of its best and brightest. Actually, it's lost over 90% of its agents. Nevertheless, several of the support structures are still intact, and the TS is feverishly working to recruit and train new talent to fill the void they deny is there.

Among the newest recruits is a team of 3 who went through much of their training together. The first is a crack shot with a disruptor and a capable interrogator. The second is a jack-of-all-trades who is particularly adept at negotiating hostile terrain, and the third is a member of the Mind Warfare Division, a remarkably talented telepath with some deep cover training.

These three were sent to the Tarquin Sector's primary planet (the name of which escapes me at the moment) to provide both a public and covert Tal Shiar presence. Due to the sector's close proximity to the Neutral Zone, there is suspicion that Federation operatives might pass through. In addition, there is a growing Tarquin underground seeking to rebel against Romulan authority. Some of the Tarquins are even turning violent. (All Tarquins receive the Disadvantage: Pacifism (-5) initially.) It should also be mentioned that Tarquins are highly empathic (one reason the Tal Shiar wanted someone with psi skills.)

Almost immediately upon arrival, the group decided they wanted to check out a temple in the mountains which had been referenced as a major architectural wonder and possible gathering place for Tarquins. The initial search revealed little beyond a nearby villiage, but after some apparent sabotage of their surveillance equipment, they went back up to scout around some more. A rather thorough search led to a catacombs and a secret meeting place for what was almost certainly an armed rebel group. After a brief shootout (the players were doing so well I decided to reward them with a fight) they uncovered a stolen cache of weapons as well as some circumstantial evidence that the Federation might be involved.

The trio then made their way to the villiage and contacted an orbiting warbird to send down a company of marines to help bring the Tarquins in for questioning...

What's going on at the temple? Who's the ringleader? And how are the Federation involved? Stay tuned for the next installment....