Country of Origin: Vendel (the School may be learned for only 20 HP if the character already knows the Kjemper School)
Salon: Kirk (Large)
Founded: 1669
Sanctioned (Swordsman’s Guild): 1671

Description: With the popularity and success of the Leegstra derivative School Snedig, it was only a matter of time before other traditional Vestenmannavnjar fighting styles received an overhaul to reflect modern Théan sensibilities. In particular, for reasons unknown (or at least, not yet revealed), Boli Kollsson commissioned the creation of this School, derived from Kjemper (and named via the traditional Vendel mechanism of jettisoning unwanted letters). 

Like its source School, Kemp relies on a weapon for offense and a shield for defense: in this case, a rapier and a buckler, respectively. The style’s most effective attacks target an opponent’s weapon, rather than the opponent himself. A Kemp Swordsman relies upon his buckler for defense against more aggressive fighters, but is not afraid to take the offense when confronted with an equally defensive style. In either case, the School’s technique is the same: remove an opponent’s capacity to do you harm (either by waiting for the opponent to exhaust himself trying to penetrate your defenses, or by actively depriving him of his weapon), then strike repeatedly and without mercy.

Unsurprisingly, the Kemp School shares the weakness of the style that spawned it. It is a largely defensive School, more concerned with removing threats to the duelist, rather than threatening an opponent directly. The defensive nature of the style has its merits, but it also makes the school more predictable and thus, easier to counter.

Basic Curriculum: Buckler, Fencing
Knacks: Attack (Buckler), Bind (Fencing), Disarm (Fencing), Exploit Weakness (Kemp), Wall of Steel (Fencing/Buckler)

Revised Swordsman Knack: Wall of Steel. Your weapon is an ever-present blocking device, and you use it like a tortoise uses its shell. If you have not attacked yet this Round, then each Rank of this Knack increases your TN to be hit by two. You cannot use your Parry (or Block) Knack with the relevant weapon for Active Defenses in any Phase where you benefit from this Knack.

Apprentice: Kemp Swordsmen learn to wield a rapier and buckler in tandem. An Apprentice suffers no off-hand penalty for use of the buckler, and receives a Free Raise on Active Defenses made with it.

Note that Attack (Buckler) is considered a Basic Knack for students of Kemp.

Journeyman: At this level of experience, a Kemp duelist has learned the value of using his buckler as an offensive weapon, particularly when fighting in close. Any time the Journeyman has his opponent’s weapon in a Bind, he may spend an Action (even one which is not yet “legal”) to perform an Attack with his Buckler. This Attack is made with a Free Raise, but if it inflicts a Dramatic Wound, it immediately breaks the Bind. In addition, the Journeyman may now use his Exploit Weakness (Kemp) Knack as Exploit Weakness (Kjemper) when fighting against someone using that style (and vice-versa).

Master: A Kemp Master has devoted years to attacking (and neutralizing) an opponent’s weapons.  Needless to say, he has become quite good at it. The Master may keep an extra die (+0k1) on rolls using his Bind and Disarm Knacks. In addition, he receives a free Rank in his Attack (Buckler) Knack. This should increase his Rank in the Knack to a six; if for some reason it does not, he may increase it from a five to a six later by spending twenty-five Experience Points.