All in all, an uneventful twentysomething turns.
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III. Nirmata the Builder
After Ugra died in his sleep, his appointed successor, Nirmata Himana, was given the title of Sipahasalara.
The new Sipahasalara was focused on continuing the peace that had dominated during his predecessors rule, and developing the countryside around both Dilli and Samarkand.
As part of this program, Nirmata commissioned a great road that would stretch all the way from Dilli to Samarkand. Christened the Imperial Road upon completion, the long path would be a great boon to both cities. It facilitated trade, and allowed for easier transport of goods between the two cities.
The Imperial Road as it would look upon completion
During the early stages of construction on the Imperial Road, a problem quickly became evident- the lack of workers to use on construction. The traditional one Punjabi working unit was simply not enough to handle all of the jobs that were required by Nirmata's plans. So, he ordered that the undesirables of both Dilli and Samarkand be collected into and organized as two more Punjabi groups. This would not only allow for faster completion of his current projects, but the ability to have more going at once. As such, he ordered the construction of pastures to the northeast of Dilli, where great herds of useful animals roamed free.
In the early stages of the Pasture Project, news reached Dilli that a great herd of horses had moved in to the northeast. This led to a revival of the skills of Horseback Riding, and a greater incentive to finish the Pasture Project quickly.
Horseback Riding was not the only archaic art to be revived during this time, however. Sailing became a new, and important, art as well. Recently, coastal farming villages had been built as a part of Nirmata's construction plan. They were able to send ships up and down the coast to trade, leading to a minor economic boom in the area that would help fund some of Nirmata's projects further inland. As of yet, however, no major ships had been built because all of the major cities were inland.
Nirmata the Builder died quietly in his sleep soon after receiving word that the Road was complete. He was much loved by the people who lived under his rule, and he would live on as a kind and honorable man in the legends of India.
The Indian Empire at the end of Nirmata's Reign
Emperor, or explorer?
