will I ever see people in my stronghold besides my hirelings?

travelers at the inn(and maybe a cook)

ect...

I agree. I wonder if I actually have guards or not without the hirelings.

From what I've seen it's just occasional visitors to your Main Hall that you don't really get to interact with. Definitely would have liked to see some more visitors or a few settlers in the stronghold. 

I guess this is just feedback for the Stronghold but yeah,the first thing should really have been a dialogue option or mission to recruit "peasants".  You need to have people working the land otherwise how do you make money?  After which there should be a few randoms walking around cutting the grass, chopping wood, working in the "Inn" etc.

 

Also the feedback from the hirelings is a bit lacking.  I hired a mage, archer, knight etc and when I try to talk to them all they say is "You want something?".  Yeah how about a little respect for your boss.