The starting village is quite obviously supposed to serve as a tutorial for new players. You're well advised to converse with every NPC. NPC conversations are kept exactly as in the original Dungeon Siege. You don't get multiple choices or any dialogue options at all for that matter. You just click an NPC and if they have quests to give away, those quests will be automatically added to your journal which will then flash up to notify you. They will assign you a variety of minor tasks and talking to the mayor is the key to leaving the village where the real adventure begins...​