some small things. in the arid/desert town, the wall immediately to the right of the amphitheatre gate can be walked through.
unrelated, but i can’t seem to figure out how to get the event chain for that location to start either. How can i start it?
Go to the trade union/bank (exit palace, go to market, go left from there and then enter the building with the two porters/guards), speak with the clerk and loan some money twice without paying it back. You can take the second loan immediately after the first. The amount doesn't matter as well, just loan like 1 gold each time. Maybe you first have to deal with the savages rampaging in the north or the bandits at the desert border, but I don't believe/remember that you have to.