paradigmx: Thanks for posting!
India is actually quite fun. It's a challenge, sure, but there's great possibilities! Personally I'd go with Dehli or Vijayanagar. The former is Muslim - so you get Holy War CB, and have a better chance of westernising to Muslim quickly. On the other hand Vijay has a big navy, strong power in the south of India, but worse sliders. It really comes down to how you want to play. Vijay is less open to attacks from Central Asia, but doesn't have the same great power and flexibility of Dehli. Colonising and conquering the pagans of Africa is a good move, as is eventually pushing into SE Asia and Vietnam.
Thanks for posting! Playing the game as well as AARs can get boring once you've reached a point where the AI can't touch you. With this at least I'm always changing and never getting into an unassailable position.
Zitanier Because I make saves before major events and/or every 50 years. The copies are because I make frequent save game edits as I go, and I don't want to screw it up (as almost happened).
Dewirix: Well, technically she's not a royal wife. She's not married to anyone related to the King, but rather his Prime Minister and his son. So I guess we could class her a Princess of India....
Now, because the last update was so bad, and because I'm 12 ahead, here's a better update...2 in one day! Don't get used to it.
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RAMA I PART 5
XXX
8/6/1491
The body was laid on the table. The doctors and morticians had done a good job to make him appear peaceful, but there was no disguising the metal brace holding the dead boy’s neck still. Without it, the head of Prince Achyuta had lolled disturbingly to the side now the neck was broken.
Talena watched from an upstairs gallery as the King, now middle aged, approached the pyre. The man was distraught, and he made no effort to conceal it.
“They blame it on a bird that flew up in front of his mount,” Amar said from behind her. “The horse threw him and the Prince died.”
Talena turned to her husband and nodded her understanding. “Terrible. The King is very unhappy.”
“His only son is gone,” Amar pointed out. “Now there is no clear heir unless his brother has a son.”
“Yes, of course.”
Amar’s hair was grey now, and he limped slightly, the result of a fall some years before. He was now the King’s foremost councillor and advisor. Talena of course looked the same, always the same.
“You look as beautiful as ever,” Amar said with a wry smile.
“Of course.” Talena stopped, looking at her husband. Did she love him? If she was entirely honest, she had to admit she didn’t, but she liked him a lot, and now they treated each other like friends or siblings. The age difference, and growing physical changes hadn’t helped.
“Father!” It was Devarsi, their adopted son. He looked at Talena and nodded warily before hugging Amar. He was dressed in armour and sword, as if for war.
“My son! This is a big day for you. The King has ordered you north to contain the Orissi rebels. This will be your first chance in battle! Do us proud, son.”
“I will, father.” He still ignored Talena. She was getting used to it.
Amar looked between them, and sighed, but made no comment. “Well go now. Do us proud,” he said again.
“Yes, father.” Devarsi embraced his father, and then left, not looking at Talena.
“He doesn’t mean to be rude...” Amar said once their adopted son was out of earshot.
Talena wasn’t so sure, but decided to answer differently. “I’m used to it. I’m used to the way people look at me. When the oldest person in this palace has grandparents who aren’t older then me, it makes people uncomfortable. I don’t blame them.”
Amar looked at her and nodded. “What do you want to do?”
Talena shrugged in a practical way. “Nothing, I suppose. What’s to be done? I’m not about to die any time soon. But...I do want to stay here...with you.”
“That’s good. I want you to stay too. But now, I better go see to the King. Forgive me.”
Talena walked outside. It was hot and humid as always, but this didn’t bother her much. In fact, over time she’d been less and less worried about temperature or the like. The days were blurring together too, in a way which was becoming a little worrying. Her own time was now distant, taking effort to recall, but she found that she could do so if she tried. After all, she was now older than most normal people ever got. She was ancient in years, but the aging process had never happened, so her mind and body was still as sharp as it had ever been.
Out of the corner of her eye, Talena saw something. There was a woman watching her. She stood out because she looked a lot like her; light skin, but blonde rather than dark hair. Since Talena had not seen a blonde woman in decades, she headed over towards her. Perhaps she was some foreign servant or visitor.
However, the stranger vanished quickly, and when Talena reached where the apparition had been, it was gone.
Talena shrugged and went back inside.
XXX
The death of Achyuta, the heir was a grave blow for the King. Already in his fourth decade of rule, he started to look further and further afield, becoming distant for several months. Fortunately, he had a policy of appointing wise ministers, and they kept the state running in the next years.
In this time more and more of the country was brought under proper control, and integrated fully into the Kingdom. The vassal state of Malwa was similarly absorbed into the Kingdom in the first half of the final decade of the 15th century.
In November of 1491 a new Emperor ascended to the throne of China. His name was Tianshun II, and he was considered a great ruler. His predecessor and brother had died in an accident, and he was acclaimed as ruler and lord of the Middle Kingdom. This was little appreciated in Vijayanagar at the time, but one day it would become very significant.