Racing Chariot

Chariots have been known in Eynor as a vehicle of war since ancient times, though they had fallen out of fashion long before the rise of the Great Empire. Even before the Great Empire was officially founded, the people of what is now Vistilia built large racecourses and vehicles to race around them for entertainment.
It is unknown precisely what the vehicles that were raced by the Great Empire were, but they were certainly not chariots. However that did not stop the Romantic poet Valentin da Livorence from publishing literature in the 1548^th year thate conflated them with records of actual chariots being raced in what is now the Kingdom of Wexe. Based on Valentin's works, the racing chariot was developed in the 1590's. Various individuals claim to have been the sole inventor of the racing chariot but credit is typically given to Juliani Amartine, who in the 1599^th year hosted the first chariot races at the historic Il Grande Circuito in the centre of Giliona.
Unlike the ancient war chariots they draw their distant ancestry from, modern racing chariots are small and lightweight constructions with only enough wood used in their construction to make their body somewhat rigid. They have two spoked wheels joined by a central axle upon which the body rests, making for an uncomfortable and shaky ride. It is not uncommon for a poorly made chariot to shake itself apart mid-race, and collisions frequently reduce them to strips of firewood.
Most chariots are drawn by a team of two horses, however variants exist for teams of three, and less commonly four, horses. Some racecourses with a long, straight section of track occasionally host short "sprint" races between large chariots drawn by teams of eight horses. The largest team of horses to ever pull a racing chariot was twelve horses strong, and the chariot they pulled was a prestige piece commissioned by the Patricci of Giliona allegedly wrought from solid gold.

Famous Chariot Riders

Francesco Pescatore

Born to an impoverished couple from the east coast of Vistilia, Francesco Pescatore rose to fame at Il Grande Circuito as a young champion of the Green team, before transferring to the Red team. He is the Red team's current Champion.

Magne Albi

Nicknamed the "Lion", Albi is the current Grand Champion at the racecourse at Baia Nascosta.

Il Ducci di Delleterre

A group of chariot riders originally hailing from Ettan Province, the group known as "Il Ducci di Delleterre" tour the various racecourses all across the Vistilian states. They have become infamous for their drunken behaviour both on and off of the tracks, and are said to have been banished from several Vistilian states for riding chariots at high speed through the center of cities.

Mama Dolce

An elderly woman from Montevino competing under the pseudonym Mama Dolce, she is the oldest professional chariot racer in Vistilia. Despite the stately pace she sets on the track, she wins races far more frequently than she loses them. This has led to her being controversially accused of "witchery" by certain high profile members of The Yeddic Path.

Il Stiggio

Some say, that he has an irrational fear of steaks. And that he did indeed invent the horse. All we know is that he's called Il Stiggio.