Lancer Brunou was a doctor of archaeology, a male Human, who worked at the University of Byblos during the time of the Galactic Civil War. Brunou, who was loyal to the Galactic Empire, became distraught about the stability of the galaxy after the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, which resulted in the death of Emperor Palpatine. Feeling powerless to help restore order, he left his position and traveled through the Outer Rim Territories, visiting various archaeological sites. During these travels, he learned that Moff Kentor Sarne was trying to establish a new empire from his [capital](/article/capital/legends] planet of Kal'Shebbol located in the Kathol sector. Consequently, Brunou journeyed to Kal'Shebbol and enlisted in the Moff's forces.
Moff Sarne welcomed Brunou, initially tasking him with the study of artifacts related to the enigmatic DarkStryder technology. However, Sarne soon reassigned him to lead the science team known as MS-133 on a mission to the planet Aaris III. Brunou's mission was to examine a series of ruins on the planet, remnants of a long-dead civilization, with a focus on understanding the cause of their society's demise. Brunou and his team set up a base camp and started excavating the ruins. On the 49th day of their expedition, they came across the Plaque of Victory—a potent artifact that drew power from organic life and drove individuals to mutual destruction—though they didn't realize its true nature at the time.
As the Plaque's influence began to affect the science team, they started experiencing feelings of paranoia and the sensation of being watched and spied upon. They were subsequently attacked by the primitive descendants of the native Aaris people, leading Brunou to seek a way to escape the planet. However, the destruction of their shuttle thwarted his plans, and he was compelled to send out a distress signal to Kal'Shebbol, hoping for rescue. However, during his time on Aaris III, Kal'Shebbol had fallen to New Republic forces, and the transmission was picked up by the crew of the CR90 corvette named FarStar. Answering the distress call, they rescued Brunou and his research assistant, Solla Deremot, who were the last remaining members of the team. Unfortunately, Brunou had brought the Plaque of Victory onto the FarStar, and it began to influence the crew. Luckily for the crew of the FarStar, personnel on the corvette realized that the Plaque was responsible for the changes in the crew's behavior, and they ejected it through an airlock.
During the era of the Galactic Empire, Doctor Lancer Brunou, a male Human, was a well-regarded archaeologist and faculty member at the University of Byblos. This prestigious institution was located on the planet of Byblos in the Colonies. A staunch supporter of the ideals of the Empire, Brunou felt that the death of Emperor Palpatine at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY posed a threat to the stability of the galaxy. Feeling helpless to contribute to the restoration of stability, he resigned from his position and spent several years traveling through the Outer Rim Territories, visiting archaeological sites and seeking a purpose to which he could dedicate himself.
Brunou heard rumors that Moff Kentor Sarne, an Imperial warlord, was attempting to rebuild the Empire. He then traveled to Kal'Shebbol, the capital planet of the Kathol sector. Sarne welcomed Brunou into his forces and offered him the chance to study the unique DarkStryder technology. However, he was soon assigned by Sarne to lead science team MS-133 on a secret mission to investigate ruins on the planet Aaris III. This planet appeared to have once been the homeworld of a civilization that had vanished thousands of years ago, leaving behind extensive ruins that had been covered by the elements. Sarne wanted Brunou to focus on discovering the reason for the civilization's demise. Brunou carefully selected a team, including Doctor Theda, scientists Grigor Tansad and Jelok, and research assistant Solla Deremot. He conducted extensive research and preparations before departing for the planet several months before the Battle of Kal'Shebbol.
Upon arriving at Aaris III, Brunou and the science team, supported by three technicians and ten soldiers, established a base camp in a large field of ruins and began their expedition. Brunou suspected, but couldn't prove, that the Imperial lieutenant in charge of the security team, who was also the shuttle pilot, had been ordered to land at a specific location and start the excavation from there. Brunou led the team in mapping the extensive ruins and then began excavations, documenting the team's progress in a journal. On day 49 of the expedition, Tansad found a way into one of the ruined metal structures. Since the structure was away from the base camp and closer to the landing site of the team's shuttle, Brunou authorized the establishment of a secondary camp near the new discovery. Brunou noted Tansad's subsequent discoveries of a chamber covered in tiles, each with a pictograph raised from it in bas-relief that emitted sounds when pressed, as a significant find, although he continued to work excavating the ruins at the base camp.
During excavation work on the chamber, Jelok and Deremot discovered a strange metal ingot hidden within a floor safe. Brunou took the artifact back to the main base camp and examined it, determining that it was made of an unknown metal. The analysis equipment also detected faint traces of energy emanating from it. Brunou decided to send the artifact back to Kal'Shebbol for further analysis by Sarne's laboratories. Unbeknownst to Brunou and his team, the artifact was known as the Plaque of Victory by the Aaris, the civilization that had once inhabited Aaris III, and it fed off the life force of organic beings. The Plaque's objective was to cause destruction, not through its own actions, but by manipulating the feelings of individuals, causing them to act in paranoid, irrational, and homicidal ways. The Plaque was responsible for the civil war that led to the destruction of the Aaris civilization.
The team began to feel the artifact's influence a day after its discovery, as several troopers reported seeing "spies" watching them from the jungle. Brunou found this strange, as they had not found any evidence of a civilization remaining on Aaris III. The doctor was unaware that the Aaris had survived the destruction of their civilization; their primitive descendants lived in the ruins of their former cities. Nevertheless, the commanding lieutenant led five soldiers into the undergrowth to search for the beings they believed were watching them. An hour after they had left, Brunou heard blaster fire in the distance. The remaining troopers at the base camp opened the weapons locker and issued blasters to the science team, including Brunou. When the troopers did not return, Brunou believed them to be dead and considered recalling the expedition to save lives—a course of action that went against Sarne's standing mission orders.
That night, the Aaris attacked the base camp, using blaster weapons to wound Theda and one of the technicians. The remaining troopers fired back into the jungle, but appeared not to hit anything. As day broke, a cursory examination of the area found the bodies of several of the troopers who had entered the jungle after the hostiles the day before. Not fully understanding the situation, Brunou decided it was time to evacuate the planet, and he ordered Jelok to abandon the secondary base camp after he reported Tansad missing and that two technicians with him were shot by sniper fire from the jungle. Jelok refused, citing that his research into deciphering the chamber's pictographs was reaching a critical stage, forcing Brunou to order the remaining troops to escort the scientist to the shuttle while the rest of them packed up the base camp.
As night fell, the shuttle was destroyed by the Aaris, causing a fireball to erupt over the jungle. Brunou, along with Deremot, the wounded Theda, two soldiers and a technician, began erecting a defensive position, digging into one of the mounds in the ruins and establishing primitive fortifications using any equipment available from the base camp. Mounting an E-Web heavy repeating blaster to the makeshift ramparts and settling in, Brunou sent a distress call to Kal'Shebbol, hoping for some form of support or rescue. The following night, the Aaris once again attacked the base camp, prompting the soldiers and technicians to charge over the barricades to engage them. Deremot manned the E-Web, deterring any hostiles that got close to the camp. Brunou started to lose hope of help arriving, wondering if the team's booster satellite in orbit had been destroyed so that Kal'Shebbol had not heard their distress call.
Though the distress call was received, it wasn't by Imperial forces aligned with Moff Sarne. During the team's time on Aaris III, New Republic forces had liberated Kal'Shebbol. Moff Sarne had subsequently retreated deeper into the sector with the remnants of his forces, and the New Republic had tasked the CR90 corvette FarStar with tracking him down. The crew of the FarStar intercepted Brunou's message and diverted to Aaris III under the command of Captain Kaiya Adrimetrum, acting on the advice of Lieutenant Jessa Dajus. Dajus, a former Imperial Intelligence officer who had served under Sarne, knew about the mission to Aaris III and believed it might be connected to the mysterious "DarkStryder" that Sarne was involved with, and visiting the planet might provide a clue to his location. Adrimetrum dispatched a team to the surface in the shuttle Muvon, piloted by the engineer Brophar Tofarain, with a rescue party led by First Officer Gorak Khzam that included the scout Kl'aal and Dajus.
Exhausted, confused, and low on supplies, Brunou cared for the injured Theda while Deremot kept watch with the E-Web. As the New Republic delegation approached the makeshift barricades, they had to deal with Brunou and Deremot, eventually convincing them that they were not the enemy and were there to help. Convinced of the crew's sincerity, Brunou insisted that they had to leave the planet before nightfall, as that was when the hostiles attacked. When questioned about what had happened, Brunou relayed the team's mission objectives to the FarStar crew members, as well as what had happened to them over the course of the preceding days. Brunou offered anything to the crew members in exchange for being allowed onto their ship, including his own knowledge of various alien species and planets in the sector, as well as any of the surviving equipment they could find. However, the doctor never informed the FarStar crew of the strange artifact that had been discovered, but made sure it was on his person at all times. Theda, however, had died before the New Republic could evacuate them.
Once aboard the FarStar, Brunou calmed down and was questioned over his team's presence on the planet. He relayed as much information as he knew, including the fact that he believed that Sarne had prearranged their landing coordinates and that they had been ordered to pay attention to any signs of why the Aaris civilization had died out. When it was discovered that Brunou had brought the artifact he found onto the ship, he defended his action, claiming it was a significant discovery. He allowed members of the crew to handle and examine the artifact, although he insisted that he keep it. Adrimetrum, on the suggestion of several crew members, ordered a mission group to the surface to scavenge for parts and supplies from the Imperial camps, gather fresh fruit and meats, and to investigate the ruins to see if they could determine why Sarne was so interested in them. Upon learning of the mission, Brunou showed no interest in returning to the surface, becoming nervous and visibly shivering at the prospect. He provided the team with a scandoc map of the area and directions to the ruins, but refused to go back to Aaris III.
Brunou continued to feel watched aboard the FarStar. He began to examine the few datapad notes and artifacts he had been allowed to bring up from the surface, including the ingot. He was extremely possessive of the artifact, examining it with single-minded interest, holding it close and appearing to fondle the surface. On one occasion, an argument with Deremot, who also felt an overwhelming desire to possess the artifact, escalated into a physical confrontation. However, Brunou and Deremot were not the only ones to experiencing antagonistic feelings—members of the FarStar's crew were also beginning to feel paranoid. Crewmembers reported feeling watched, hearing footsteps in empty corridors behind them, whispered voices, and even mild hallucinations.
Eventually, the FarStar crew began to realize that they all could not be going crazy, and that something was affecting their behavior. They figured out that the artifact was responsible, since the bizarre feelings had only started after Brunou had bought the ingot aboard the vessel, and that proximity to the artifact caused the feelings of suspicion and violence to increase. Rationalizing that to free themselves of the influence of the artifact they needed to put as much distance as possible between it and them, the crew planned to jettison it out of one of the corvette's airlocks. Managing to get it away from Brunou, who had become defensive of his prize, the crew sent the artifact into space. Once free of its oppressive influence, the personnel aboard the FarStar started to return to their normal behavior.
Lancer Brunou was a loyal supporter of the Empire, and he firmly believed that the New Republic's rise to power had brought chaos to the galaxy. He worked to support those he believed could rebuild the Empire. However, his self-preservation instincts sometimes outweighed his loyalty, allowing him to conceal his true allegiance long enough to be rescued by the New Republic corvette FarStar.
When influenced by the Plaque of Victory, Brunou became extremely possessive of the artifact, defending it with unwavering determination. He would often examine it closely, fondling its surface. He also became highly paranoid and suspicious of those around him, believing that they intended him harm.
Brunou was a highly intelligent and dedicated scientist. He possessed extensive knowledge of alien species and cultures and specialized in ancient languages and civilizations. He had survival training and was skilled in both first aid and medicine. Brunou had experience with astrogation and could operate communications and sensor systems, as well as drive repulsorlift vehicles.
While on expedition on Aaris III, Brunou wore a blast vest and helmet, and carried a heavy blaster pistol along with a comlink, datapad, recording rod, medpac, and field satchel.
Lancer Brunou was a character created by Peter M. Schweighofer for the adventure Artifact of Aaris, which appeared in The DarkStryder Campaign. Brunou's fate in the adventure is left to the discretion of the Gamemaster. While he may die during the events of Artifact of Aaris, if he survives, he volunteers to join the crew of the FarStar. However, his loyalty to the Empire will likely cause him to abandon ship at his first opportunity to rejoin Moff Sarne.
Artifact of Aaris suggests that the members of MS-133, under the Plaque of Victory's influence, turned on each other, resulting in multiple deaths and the destruction of the shuttle. However, The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, published in 2008, confirmed that the team was attacked by the remnants of the Aaris civilization.