More NPC should help populate the area a bit more. My personal daily schedule has me seen Rosalyn follow the road west to the mountains to pick herbs, I usually end up talking to her on those days, simply because I run into more often. I'm curious where she actually goes, though I suspect she just wanders in an area somewhere out there like I've seen some NPC do in Silverpine when they say they're looking for herbs.
Actually, now I'm curious where Oriana goes. She usually disappears on screen transition when I tried to follow her before, but maybe the recent update for NPCs not disappearing when leaving Silverpine will help here? Be cool if she had a secret meditation spot on the map.