Snake Racing

Written by TheirGraceGrace

You arrive in town to see a big crowd forming in the central plaza. The traders that you have been travelling with pay it no mind, and their Malkahar is too alien to you for you ask what the commotion is. So you decide to lightly push your way through the crowd to get to the source.
As you push deeper, you pass by an elderly Kaharian man, who notices your light-coloured skin and says in Common Orkanisan, "Just in time for the race! You're just in time, dolkhai." His tongue makes that weird rolling sound that you still can't reproduce, like stone grating on wood.
"Time for what? What race?" you say, focusing on the kind old man's smile and beady eyes.
"Nisazkoralar." he says, not elaborating on the term. "You'll enjoy it a lot, I think."
You turn and watch as the crowd begins to part, forming an avenue about ten feet wide. You follow suit, and you finally see it.
Multiple snakes, each with bright-coloured bandanas wrapped around their necks, have all moved behind a line drawn in the sand. They shake and slither in place, and one whips one of the others with its tail. Are they racing...
Your thought is interrupted by the sound of a loud clap, and the snakes begin to quickly slither down the pathway, the various people in the crowd erupting into cheers. One of the snakes quickly takes the lead, slithering with lightning speed down the road towards the edge of town. The other snakes are left in the dust.

A Time for Celebration

Almost all major festivals in Kahari have at least a couple of snake races. Some people train the reptiles as a hobby; others simply have a favourite pet that they love to put on display. Some never race them at all, but make a fortune off of bets. Either way, the time of a snake race is a great occasion for any Kaharian town.

Rules

Preparation

Only up to seven snakes may participate in one race. They must carry a minimum of gear, with some kind of marker for identification agreed upon beforehand by their handlers and one additional items (a lucky charm, a token of appreciation, etc.). Snakes of similar lengths will race together, if possible.
The course taken by the snakes must be determined beforehand and all handlers and judges must be in agreement. An impartial Walker will survey the route the day of the race, making sure to remove any unexpected or unnatural deterent to the snakes' progress. This person will also mark out the route, using coloured flags, stones, or other clear indicators.
A line is drawn on the ground wide enough for all participating snakes. The snakes must stay behind the line until the race begins.

Race

The race begins when a clap or other obvious noise created by a judge sets the race into motion. Anyone caught trying to start the race early will have any participating snakes in their possession disqualified and must pay a fine rewarded to the race participants.
The snakes must stay within 3 metres of the markers or they are disqualified. Any animal or person attempting to move or shift the markers will face a fine rewarded to the race participants.
Any snakes caught injuring other snakes will be immediately disqualified. Any harm done to the snakes caused by other animals or persons will be subject to a fine rewarded to the race participants.
Any snakes that were not born snakes, have not lived as snakes or use magical means to appear as snakes when they otherwise would not will be disqualified and subjected to a fine rewarded to the race participants.

Betting

Bets, if required or wanted, must be placed before the race starts. Once the race begins, all betting must end, and a written testament of all bets must be turned into a judge. Any bets made after this point or those declined by a judge are null and void, and the funds are returned to the placer of the bet.

Related Ethnicity

Kaharian

Related Location

Kahari

History

The people of the desert have raced snakes for as long as anyone can remember. The rules of the sport were codified in the Red Dune Rules (the most widely accepted rules set) in 3E 12, which is the rule set given here. Other rule sets tend to only modify the rules slightly, and are usually the result of older traditional practice predating the Red Dune Rules.

Gear

As per the rules, gear must be minimal in order to provide a fair chance for all participants. What gear that is given to the snakes is usually small luck charms and coloured bandanas for identification. One set of rules, known as the Kalarun Rules, permits the use of baited lures to keep the snakes slithering forward, while another set used by the people of the Bitru river delta gives the reptiles a small charm of the god Pa'ilver as part of their festivals.

Cover Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)