Kal'mera Broun, known as Broun, is a character in PARTIZAN. They are a freelancer and a smuggler.
In PALISADE, they're also known as Kalvin Brnine and usually go by Brnine (pronounced "brine"). They are the captain of the Blue Channel.
Appearance
They have a long neck and high ears with multiple piercings. They don't have eyebrows, and they occasionally wear face paint. They look distinctively "alien," with high, sharp cheekbones. Their skin is slightly iridescent like fish scales.
They don't have a facecast, but according to Ali, if they were in a live action show, their part should go to someone with a good condescending eye roll who makes "your best friend does your makeup and is mean to you about it" TikTok videos.[1]
At the beginning of PARTIZAN, their hair is shoulder-length and burgundy, tied in a dutch braid. During the timeskip after "The Red Light", they'd shaved their head, and over the next few months it grows back a little, but the iridescence of their scalp is visible.
They often wear plated hoodies, overalls, and/or sweatpants (like Genji's in Overwatch 2). While on the boat in "The Seaside Town of Obelle", they're wearing a sweater and overalls. At the Summer Passage of Arms, they're wearing a white cropped jacket with gold buttons over a red unitard bathing suit with the Millennium Break symbol on the back under the jacket. In "The Grand Premiere", they have a whole outfit: a light leather suit jacket (like Richter's in Total Recall), a chiffon sheer white buttondown with embroidery of hands holding fans (like designs by the tattoo artist lizlizkimkim), lavender suspenders, dark navy formal shorts, and Teva style strappy sandals.
As of PALISADE, they have a shag haircut. Over one eye, they wear a Dragonball Z scouter with a large 90s anime girl antenna on it, which lights up when they take calls.
In the masquerade party, they wear neon graphic line eyeshadow, a gaiter-like garment made of overlapping inlaid neon plexiglass/plastic from under the nose to the shoulders (which hooks to the ear), a white ruffled shawl / crop top, and dark slacks with neon plaid. All of the neon colors are matching.
Personality
Broun is very distrustful of others; because of this, they preemptively push people away, or treat them as tools.
They enjoy playing with a puzzle toy described as a cross between a Rubik's Cube and a Bop It and they even shopped for fanmade challenge cartridges in "A Call From an Island".
Drive (Beam Saber)
- Own a spaceship.
- Find a future for Millennium Break off of Partizan.[2]
History and Involvement
Broun comes from Apostolos and grew up in Orion as a teen. They don't identify with their homeland, and prefer to use they/them instead of "kal" pronouns.
Broun was sent to Partizan for their job at Adamant Arms and Artifice, where they designed missiles and other explosives. They were laid off from the job and have been stuck on Partizan since, doing freelance repairs and designs and smuggling things, as well as identifying weapons.
Relationships
Beliefs (Beam Saber)
- Thisbe is capable of more, and if I can get her to trust me, I can use that.
- Valence has good connections, and hopefully if I impress them they'll lead me to people with deep pockets.
- Thisbe wants offworld too, and I want to know what she'd spend to do it.
- Valence is someone who keeps their word.
- I can count on Milli; I need to remember to watch her back if she's watching mine.
- Kalar will prove useful if they don't break anything important. OR Kalar is naïve and they're trying to endanger their family.
- Working well with Phrygian will improve my reputation.
- Milli is chill and dependable. I hope she thinks the same about me.
- Milli has helped me at my most vulnerable. I’ll help her with whatever she needs.
Bond (Kingdom)
- I need Valence to keep their promise to me but I don’t believe they can.
Hooks (Armour Astir)
- The crew put their faith in me so I must prioritize their safety.
- I will prove that Millennium Break can change lives.
- (Asepsis) Verify the integrity of anyone you let on the ship.
Abilities
Experience as a mechanic and engineer has allowed Broun to develop their skills.
- Jury Rig: Broun can make vehicle damage less impactful on the vehicle for the length of a mission.
- Researcher: Broun may invent or craft a useful creation.
- Road Master: Broun knows how to wreck or destroy an area with experimental substances and methods so it is either impassable or good terrain to infantry and vehicles.
- Saboteur: When Broun wrecks, the work is much quieter than it should be and the damage is hidden from casual inspection. If they use placed explosives instead of wrecking tools the work is not any quieter but the action is more effective.
Possessions
- Bing 32 (floating drone)
- Bandolier of explosive and chemical weapons
- Fine engineering tools
Mech
Broun's mech is the Three Cheers!. It's humanoid, with large pointed shoulders like lobster claws; these shoulders have missiles inside them. It also has a pointed chest.
This mech was bought from or given to them by the company they worked for, Adamant Arms and Artifice, but Broun replaced the armor plates, giving it a patchworked look that advertises their skill. The plates are replaceable, and Broun has their own screwdrivers to replace them so they don't get stolen.
Trivia
- While working on "The Storm Over Cruciat" Austin made an edit of a scene between Broun and Valence with the song "MakeDamnSure" by Taking Back Sunday underneath. It can be found here (and contains spoilers).