Racing Chariot

Though they've fallen by the wayside as a combat vehicle, chariots have an illustrious history and still find their way into the hearts of people the world over during races. Variations abound from the double-axle war chariots still being used to exotic single-wheel chariots that only require two horses, and the most inventive (and wealthy) nations occasionally employ horseless chariots, though the most common- and accepted by most people as the standard- is a single axle with four horses, too short for proper fighting but lighter for better racing. Typically a quiver is built into the side with three dull javelins placed inside, meant as a means of making races more interesting though deaths from javelin throws are rare. Racers also carry a special blade, slightly curved and sharpened on the inside, about a foot long. This blade is meant to cut reins free if needed and is almost never used for combat during a race, though duels between racers are often settled with these.
In most cities that boast a racetrack or racing team, racers are local celebrities, often swaying politics and serving as instruments of policy. The Imperial Senate in particular is fond of sending out sponsored racers to curry favor with the crowd, and when a racing chariot comes calling with half the usual compliment of horses, it means the racer is on parade and will often buy food and drinks for people who crowd around them in the street, and give sweets or small toys to children. Every racer has a distinctive pattern on their chariot and are always recognizable, and most will include some sort of rhetoric on these parades, gaining favor for one thing or another. Though often sponsored by generous benefactors on these parades, during certain holidays multiple racers will make their way through neighborhoods, competing with each other on how generous they can be. While there are no laws against sponsorship for these holidays, it's generally considered bad form.