Ask questions and build on the answers

Whenever you wonder something about the village or about daily life, consider asking the PCs about it.

Ask what they're up to as you frame the action. "Caradoc, what task or chore are you working on?"

Ask for details, to help paint the scene. "What's cooking on the hearth?" "Vahid, what makes this place feel like home?"

Ask them to editorialize. "What's the worst part of this chore?" "What do you love most about Stonetop in spring?"

Ask about their lives. "Rhianna, what's your morning routine like?" "Do you usually eat alone, or what?"

Ask about NPCs. "Blodwen, who taught you how to weave?" "Rhianna, who do the farmers typically listen to?"

Ask about traditions and practices. "Caradoc, how does the village mark one's coming of age?" "Blodwen, how does Stonetop mark or celebrate the coming of winter?"

Ask about gossip, stories, and lore. "Vahid, what do folks say about Gorlas behind his back?" "Rhianna, when did someone last break the compact and fell a tree in the Wood? What happened?"

When a player asks something about the village, maybe turn the question back on them or direct it to another PC. "I don't know! Caradoc, given the lack of timber, what do people use for doors?"

Build on their answers, now or later. Ask follow-up questions. Treat their answers as if they've always been true. Call back to them in later scenes. Show the players that their answers matter, that they shape the village, and you'll find that they can't help but care.