The Empire of Locustia

# **Empire of Langost**

### Overview

The Empire of Langost is a religious monarchy comprising Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Arabia, Kashmir, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Nepal, which is their capital province. It began existing as a state on June 29th 2083 after Leviticus Pierce II Reclaimed his father's throne from Islamic control. They have expanded through diplomacy officially, but they plant seeds of uprising in neighboring countries. That was, until they invaded Arabia in the Modern day, which prompted a blockade and trade embargo on Locustia. In response, they formed IOTA with Ethiopia, the CAU, and the Zulu. Together they blocked the Suez Canal and entered into a cold war with OFES beginning on May 29th, 2105. Seeing the acts of expansionism among Locustia, the Tenasians decided to publicly announce their support for an overthrow of Locustia from power. This was used by the Emperor of Locustia to justify aggression towards the West. After a coup, Lawrence Pierce renamed the country, and changed it to follow Eastern tradition more, reforming the hypocrisies of the government and caused military reform as well.

### **Pre-Extant State**

In 2024, Lawrence Pierce, grandfather of the current emperor, established a mission in Kathmandu, Nepal. This mission became extremely popular and converted most of the nation to Christianity in an extremely short amount of time. The Nepalese voted Pierce their King, abolishing previous forms of government. The nation was completely fine on its own until 2035 when Pierce was assassinated by Central Asian terrorists, who were Islamic in belief. Although no bodies had been found, this prompted a Nepali Conquest of Central Asia and lasted until 2039, when Tehran Capitulated. But, not 5 years later, The Nepali Empire was overthrown in favor of an unstable Islamic state. Christians and Muslims fought for nearly 40 years when finally the Christian leader Leviticus Pierce II, born in battle, claimed his father's lost throne. This prompted a mass exodus of Muslims from Central Asia into Arabia, which helped form the Arab Caliphate (2092-2105).

### Modern Existence

Locustia, being a relatively young state, has made great strides toward modernizing its previously rural population. They used a Syncretic economic combination of Capitalism and Socialism to their benefit. They offered free living and food to all those working for the government as well as a hefty salary of 70,000 LU (Locustian Ursas, roughly worth 1.38 2023 USD) yearly minimum. Hence, they were allowed to build a highway across Central Asia, including Nepal and Tibet, within years. They allowed corporations with open arms to boost their economy as well. Xinjiang of the Remaining States of China voted to join the LE in 2095, prompting another Muslim exodus. The same occurred in Iraq and Kuwait in 2101, with much Arabian military resistance (unofficially. Arabia never publicly went to war with Locustia until 2105).

### **Actions leading unto downfall.**

On March 13, 2105, Locustia invaded Arabia on a three-pronged attack from Iraq, the straight of Hormuz, and Airborne. The entire invasion took 4 weeks, and the remaining Muslims migrated to the Makkah emirate, the puppet state created by Locustia to prevent a holy war with all Muslims, given Makkah's significance to the religion. This prompted international outrage, mainly among OFES and later Tenas. Following a fiery speech from a Tenasian leader, Emperor Pierce announced, "We fight for the abolition of interventionism. Any who oppose us will be incinerated in the flames of battle." The former sentence is a nationalistic Icon, Appearing on shirts and mugs as a sign of patriotism.

There was a Nuclear detonation in Murmansk, supplied by Locustia which framed Kalmar to allow Locustia to invade. The war was technically a decisive Locustian victory, as they had lost less in a push for one of the capitols of Kalmar. But, in the fighting, an estimate 7 million people were killed by shelling from Locustia's Olympus Class Air Defense system, or "Stonehenge", a large array of railguns spanning all of the Hindu-Kush mountains as well as the Himalayas and Persia. There were plans to invade both Copenhagen and Iceland before the war was stopped by a coup held by the previously thought dead Lawrence Pierce, who re installed Locustia's purpose of a Christian state.

The state of Locustia was dissolved on July 3rd 2105, proceeded by the new Infinite Empire of Langost, established on July 4th 2105, being made up of what was previously Locustia while retaining a constitution that would bind their military according to Biblical law (ex. eye for an eye, turn thy cheek, love thy neighbor, etc.) Lawrence has been studied and carries a rare neuro-parasitic disease which prevents deterioration of cellular structure, however causes him immense pain constantly, so it has been decided by conciliar parliamentary decision that he will rule until he either concedes power, or somehow dies.

##### **New Era, Religious Reformation**

After Lawrence took power and ended war with the west, the first thing he changed was the military doctrine. Most of the state's resources were dedicated to an offensive, bulked military swollen from the years of conquest that birthed the nation long ago. He changed it to buying up arms and training the populous on how to safely operate and defend their towns, instating a civil defense pact with the populous, while reducing the military to mainly trainers and small, well trained forces, meant to force allegiance of power hungry local dictators. After Turkiye underwent a nationalist revolution, they broke the dam holding back water from flooding the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This caused countless deaths and lots of damage, but no territorial claims were made by Turkiye. It is theorized that this decision was to cause major economic disaster to result in concession of Assyria to Turkiye, as the majority of trade was conducted through the Tigris river, other warm water ports being either landlocked or underdeveloped. The conflict was resolved after 6 long months of skirmishes, and resulted in 200,000 dead Langostians and an uncounted amount of Turkish.

Furthermore, the Eastern Orthodox church, which had Previously excommunicated the bishop of Tehran, and hence the church of Locustia from communion with the rest, reversed their position and elected a new bishop, Lawrence Pierce of Kathmandu, to control the church of Langost and most of the Hindu Kush area.