SOL SYSTEM, EARTH, SAN FRANCISCO.
STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS, STARFLEET SECURITY DIVISION
STARDATE: 68151.60

“Enter.”

The adjutant stiffened her posture and instinctively tightened her grip on the secure container as the doors hissed open. Her footfalls echoed on the floor while she closed the gap to her new commanding officer’s desk.

“That is the alleged evidence recovered by the Inglewood?”

She took a deep breath. For a moment, her lungs protested the excessively dry and warm air. “Yes, sir… a damaged Romulan PADD found on Sigma Iota II. They barely escaped the ambush. Many Bolians died to bring us this information.”

“I read the briefing, Lieutenant Commander. In the future, restrain your urge to repeat sensitive information. Place the container on my desk. You may leave.”

The new adjutant felt the sensation of perspiration beginning to gather above her brow and on the back of her neck as she rapidly extricated herself from the office. She managed to utter an anemic “Y… yes, sir,” before the doors sealed unceremoniously behind her.

With barely an arched eyebrow, Commodore Oh ignored the small container on her desk and returned her attention to her work.

STARFLEET SECURITY BRIEFING

Little is known of the Romulan Division called “Shaelas Viroth.” Even their name and its suspected meaning of “the whisper that shifts perspective,” do not correlate to any known Rihan dialect. This, in itself, is intriguing, as it may suggest that a covert language exists within the military of the Empire outside of Rihan that is unknown to the Federation.

Starfleet first learned of the Shaelas Viroth when the crew of the California-class Inglewood stumbled upon a hidden Romulan stronghold during a routine Project: Swing By mission on Sigma Iota II. The away team was able to recover a single Romulan PADD before a cloaked vessel destroyed the stronghold from orbit and ambushed the Inglewood, heavily damaging the ship and the recovered PADD before recloaking and disengaging from combat.

In spite of incurring significant casualties and system failures, the Bolian-crewed Inglewood made its way back to Federation space. Their lead communications officer worked on deciphering the PADD during their return, and decoded the following log entry:

Shaelas Viroth Training Compound
Division Log: Entry 12

“Educational trials of the Llaet’morr potentials continue as expected. The Iotians are excellent test subjects for applying new techniques in creating social fractures, crafting effective rumors, and targeted cognitive influence. Current evaluates show overall promise for our Psy-Ops mandate.”

Shaelas viroth tr’laehh*

* Communication Officer’s Note: This log entry was written in two languages, Rihan(δ), and one phrase in an unknown language. There is no exact lexical syntax available in the universal translator for a precise translation of this new language. However, based on what we know of Rihan phonology and morphology (syllable shapes, common suffixes, fricative use, et cetera), I have extrapolated a possible meaning for this phrase. Based on available linguistic data, the most likely translation of this phrase is “the whisper changes the path.”

Starfleet Security believes the Shaelas Viroth are a division of the Romulan military, possibly even part of the Tal Shiar, that specializes in psychological operations through propaganda, surgical political infiltration, and the compromise of information networks. The head of Starfleet Security, Commodore Oh, has assumed control of the investigation, but has provided no additional information at this time.

ABOVE THE TABLE

In an era where the misinformation and deepfakes that permeate our news media, social platforms, and other information streams are a palpable concern, the Shaelas Viroth are a personification of the times. Narratively, they embody the tension between Starfleet’s duty to objective truth and the corrosive power of influential sophism. They wield knowledge of how people respond to fear like a scalpel: the right combination of words whispered into the right ear at the right time can sow enough discord to topple an empire.

While many Romulan plots in Trek lore often employ similar tactics, the Shaelas Viroth are the division itself responsible for training personnel in propaganda, psychological operations, and further honing the craft of large-scale social manipulation. When used thoughtfully, stories involving this division can heighten suspense in a mission and challenge player characters to question their assumptions. Their twisted machinations invite players to channel their inner Tuvok or Raffi Musiker, racing against time to unravel a complex web of lies, conspiracies, and false trails, hoping to avert a war or other grim fate before catastrophe strikes.

How would you use the Shaelas Viroth in your campaign?