Embrace the fantastic and the mundane

The world is filled with fantastic elements: spirits, monsters, fickle Fae, the ancient works of the Makers, the darkness of the Things Below. Play up these elements. Use them to make the world mysterious.

But at the same time, ground the game in human concerns: the turn of seasons, the coming harvest, friends and neighbors. Threaten the PCs with real-world dangers: harsh weather, wild beasts, starvation, exposure. Ask about the provisions they brought or how they got that cloak. Make the world rich with mundane detail.

Contrast the fantastic and the mundane against each other. If an adventure revolves around a supernatural threat or opportunity, then be sure to include perfectly mundane challenges, dangers, and discoveries. If a session involves mostly mundane concerns (like a trade mission to Marshedge or an aurochs hunt), sprinkle in some fantastic elements. The interplay between the two makes the world that much richer and more mysterious.