Bring it home

Make the village the foundation of the game. Get the players to help create and define the village and the NPCs who live there. Give them a chance to care. Then threaten the village, offer opportunities to make things better, and show how the PCs' decisions and efforts change the village, for good or for ill.

With that said: don't just show how the PCs are important to the village. Show how the village is important to the PCs. Explore relationships between the PCs and the NPCs they care about. Have those NPCs support and care for the PCs. Have NPCs thank the PCs for their efforts. Have NPCs apologize for falling short, and try to do better.

Make it clear that the village of Stonetop isn't just a home base, it's home. And make it a home worth protecting, a home worth fighting for.