Maybe I can provide some assistance?
I am in the same boat as far as new characters within ffxiv, the way I had progressed my character was that since he was a male miqote, I started him off growing up with in a tribe in the black shroud forest, typically I read that most keepers reside there and are common for the activity as poachers.
For Isa'to's case, with the tribe he resided, had migrated south, (a little north of Ul'dah) and witnessed a lot of the destruction to the south west, but the tribe ended up scattering, as a large piece of dalamund's debris flew in their direction, which had then separated him from his brother.
So, I would assume that everyone who wasn't part of 1.0+, does not have to conform to being a part of the final battle if they don't want to. If anything they could have been simple travelers, or even commoners for that matter, maybe perhaps the scare of dalamund and bahamut kicked them into reality that Eorzea needs heroes.
If this is what you did not imply, I apologize.
I am in the same boat as far as new characters within ffxiv, the way I had progressed my character was that since he was a male miqote, I started him off growing up with in a tribe in the black shroud forest, typically I read that most keepers reside there and are common for the activity as poachers.
For Isa'to's case, with the tribe he resided, had migrated south, (a little north of Ul'dah) and witnessed a lot of the destruction to the south west, but the tribe ended up scattering, as a large piece of dalamund's debris flew in their direction, which had then separated him from his brother.
So, I would assume that everyone who wasn't part of 1.0+, does not have to conform to being a part of the final battle if they don't want to. If anything they could have been simple travelers, or even commoners for that matter, maybe perhaps the scare of dalamund and bahamut kicked them into reality that Eorzea needs heroes.
If this is what you did not imply, I apologize.