I feel like the game came really benefit from random events. It will make it more living\alive in my opinion.
Traveling Caravans, merchants, troop movements, some none hostile NPC camps depending on religion or race type. Assassin’s guild that will send out special enemies either single or group to take you out. Maybe more of a market where we can either trade items or sell, giving silver and gold coins more of a currency.
Maybe a trade hut or market that is craftable for merchant caravans can come visit, that way there is a always a rotation of resources and items\weapons.
As for additional thrall behaviors and commands, maybe a patrol between a point A and B point can be beneficial, having certain resource and hunting leash to gather up the resources within a certain distances from their stations.