Hi. I recently started playing a Northern character after some time off and was looking around, and it seemed a bit dead.

Is this part of that cycle thing people talk about? Where at times it is busy in the north and empty in the south, and then vice-versa?

Last time I recall there being, at even non-peak times people in the Sanctuary, that other tavern near Freils, like 20 dwarves in some PCs shop. And then people sitting chatting at the firepit.

Now it seems hard to come by people.
Is this normal?

I don't know - last night one of the popular hangouts in the north was packed.

It'll pick up... trust me. I find its either -dead- or too many people to count. Just hang in there.

Plenty of people in the North.  They're just not all on at the same time...