The Hippodrome

The Hippodrome provides one of the main sources of entertainment for Whiteport's citizens. It hosts the weekly chariot races which the city enjoys so much, as well as larger tournaments and other competitive events such as horse races, grand melees (once the hippodrome was even flooded for a mock naval battle), beast fighting, jousts, archery contests, rodeos, wrestling matches, and famously air derbies sponsored by the Order of the Falcon.    The hippodrome and its associated businesses also form a significant portion of Whiteport's economy, and the three major factions (the Golds, the Blues, and the Reds) tend to vie competitively for victory, compounded by the generous winner's purses and enormous gambling industry which the hippodrome affiliates with.   It also serves as an important connection between Whiteport's leadership and its people, as Duke Owain frequently patrons the Hippodrome and addresses the people from his private box.

The Hippodrome is generally unchanged from the massive monumental construction undertaken by King Justin I of Whiteport at the peak of the old Kingdom of Whiteport's power, and its construction is generally regarded as a high-water mark in the city's history. Its stonework has been mended and repaired with plaster and cement in some places, while in others the marble busts and statues have been repaired or replaced. The statue of Mithras which stands almost three stories tall is newer, and has been added in the last five hundred years.

The Hippodrome is a monumental building made out of cement, marble, stone, and wood, and stands almost eight stories tall. It has a large canvas awning which can be extended or retracted to provide light or shade from the harsh sun. It is mainly constructed out of massive blocks of concrete which form a long elliptical shape. The center of the hippodrome is a sand pit, separated by a low wooden fence and long stone columns dividing the race track. The track sits a full story lower than Whiteport's ground level, while the first level of seating is two stories up, creating a secure distance between spectators and competitors, while the stone blocks are more than sturdy enough to take whatever beating gets thrown at it. The hippodrome has three main gates through which spectators (and competitors) can enter the track, and there exists a sizable network of underground and internal rooms and passageways connecting the various rooms which support the hippodrome's theater including cages for wild beasts to be released, stables, dressing rooms for horses, a small foundry and repair shop for chariots, an armory, and a full healer's station.    The Hippodrome is also carefully designed to host a large crowd of spectators comfortably. While there is no seating on the first level, there are lavatories, betting windows, and food and drink vendors which offer refreshments for fans. The next five levels of the hippodrome offer free seating for the general public in a row of stone benches carved into the blocks themselves. The upper two levels offer larger seating arrays which are reserved for specific organizations and their members and are decorated and arrayed accordingly, typically with food and beverage service and more comfortable seating, and this section including the official fan sections for the Golds, the Blues, and the Reds (though there are more unruly and animated fan sections in the public seating), or more expensive but more private seating for the general public at the cost of only a silver for a seat higher up and generally on wooden benches with cushions. The top floor is reserved for Whiteport's elite and hosts private boxes, including the Duke's official box which sits opposite the statue of Mithras, elevated and isolated from other boxes. These boxes are custom outfitted to suit the needs of the owner, and include boxes reserved for other Whiteport nobles, Clan Brokenshield, and high ranking religious and commercial leaders.

The Hippodrome was constructed by King Justin I, who hosted a massive coronation event for which he tore down the city's mundane old tourney grounds and replaced them with the massive monumental construction that is the Hippodrome today to showcase his wealth, power, and importance. Justin had a known love of jousting and chariot racing, and therefore wanted to invest in such a building where he could parade before the masses and portray himself as a glorious leader, and who famously competed in the opening grand melee wielding one of the Shields of Whiteport. It is seen as a sacred shrine for the Cult of Mithras, the god of Competition, whose champions now run the games and handle the buildings stewardship after control of the building was turned over to them, and who subsequently added a statue of the god to honor him.    Since the days of Justin, while the Kingdom of Whiteport has waned and since been absorbed, the Hippodrome remains a focal point for the city. While competition in the Hippodrome is a right free to anyone, it has largely been monopolized by the major chariot factions, the Reds, Blues, and Golds, who tend to dominate the competition by finding the best champions and outfitting them with the finest gear and horses (and subverting the others along the way), although the orders militant and traveling adventuring parties add an element of chance and competition to the normal fierce competition between the three groups.

The Hippodrome is the main tourist attraction within the city of Whiteport, and offers weekly games which entertain the masses, and every visitor is encouraged to take in at least one day of the games before leaving the city. The Hippodrome generates a substantial amount of revenue for the city and serves as a focal point for the city's social life, as many restaurants, taverns, and bars line the area near the Hippodrome, as do armorers, fortune tellers, gamblers, and businesses which cater to all the possible needs a stadium of boisterous fans whose  energy is up.