I won't sing their praises, but the quests did make me walk around each city (instead of bee-lining between crystal, leve table, and the city exit). They are a start. I was able to meet a kid in Gridania who plays pranks on adventures and a women in LL who was worried about her son. Before these quests, if I couldn't sell extra inventory or grab a leve from them, NPCs were worthless. I do hope more engaging quests (linked to classes, special armor, and interesting lore) are in the works.