A couple suggestions for those who haven't yet decided:<br/><br/>There are a variety of contests going on in various places in Akhetan - one of your characters may have come from watching/participating in one of those. Off the top of my head is that there's probably a poetry competition for poetry praising the Mother River, an archery completion, possibly a martial arts demonstration, etc.<br/>The festival is an excellent place to meet contacts from other parts of Dun-lat, because a<em>lot</em>of people come there. One of your characters could be just wrapping up a meeting with one such contact.