Jere Kempe

**Jere Kempe** was an military officer and bureaucrat who served the Salian Legion during the Legionary War. Throughout most of the war, Kempe served as a Legionary Commander, and was involved in major military oprations. Following the Battle of Nox and the fall of most of the Legionary Military, Kempe organized a resistance in his hometown of Freikor.

## Biography

### Early Life

Jere Kempe was born on 5 May 970, in Freikor, Vexen Republic to a working class family. Though being ethnically Vexen, he had some Sactrian ancestry, but would never acknowledge it in his life. During his childhood he enjoyed reading about famous military leaders of the past, including those of the Salian Empire. In school, Kempe received exceptionally high marks and was sent to an elite academy in the capital Noxia. The academy was largely consisted of people who came from aristocratic or political families. He was constantly ridiculed for being a commoner from a working class family. The constant torment made Kempe ashamed of his background and made him strive to become one of the elite.

### Vexen Republic Army

In 988, Kempe graduated for the academy and had invitations from many well-renowned universities in Vexidan. However, 18-year-old Kempe decided to enlist in the Vexen Republic Army. He viewed many of his classmates from political families lazy and undeserving of belonging to the elite. Kempe believed rising through the military would be a superior and more glorious option for him.

### Legionary War

In 1000, shortly before the Legionary War, Kempe was promoted to Grand Commander personally by Rovoc Salian. Many senior members of the Legionary Military privately disapproved the criticized the move by Salian because they viewed Kempe too young for his power and was promoted because of favoritism.

Kempe's critics quieted down as Kempe became

#### Vexen Resistance

After narrowly escaping the Battle of Noxia , Kempe watched as the Legionary Military was falling apart and becoming disorganized. The Legionary Military lost almost all of their best armies and generals at Noxia, and their leader, Rovoc Salian. Kempe stood as the last serving Legionary Commander who wasn't dead or surrendered. Knowing he would be executed if he surrendered to Paxian Allied forces, Kempe refused to surrender.

On 3 March 1005, two days after the fall of Noxia, Kempe held a speech via television and radio, encouraging the people to resist the "Paxian devils" and for soldiers to regroup under his command to carry on the fight for Salianist and Vexen nationalist causes. The response Kempe was hoping for fell very short, as the populace was tired of war and many soldiers and officers in the military were surrendering to Paxian Allied forces. Kempe's personal army and other nationalist soldiers pulled back to Southern Vexidan to establish a frontline between the River . The frontline did not last long, as the Paxian Allied forces outmanned Kempe's forces and had absolute air superiority.

Kempe's forces then fortified themselves in Freikor, as it was the last stragetic Vexen city not taken by the Paxian Allied forces. The mountainous terrain and its city walls were favorable for Kempe's forces.