Well, without more context, it's hard to say precisely. It could be a story centered around a specific location called Dawntrail. It might tell the tales of the people living there, their traditions, and their daily lives. Or perhaps it's a spiritual journey where the dawntrail represents the path towards enlightenment. The characters in the story could be on a pilgrimage along this dawntrail, encountering various tests of their faith and morality as they move forward.
Sure. The story quests in FFXIV are designed in a way that they provide enough experience for leveling. But it's important to note that later on in the game, the leveling curve gets steeper. So while it's possible to rely solely on the story at the start, you may eventually need to branch out. For example, in the higher levels, the story quests might not give as much XP per quest as you need to level up quickly, and that's when other content can be useful.
Since I don't know the 'dawntrail story' well, I can't say for sure who the main characters are. They could be brave warriors, wise sages, or ordinary people with extraordinary destinies.
Sure. You can level up through things like FATEs (Full Active Time Events). They occur randomly in the game world and give out XP. Also, guildhests are a good source of XP. But not following the main story might mean you miss out on some important unlocks and lore that could enhance your overall gaming experience.
Yes. There are alternative ways to level. You can do class - specific quests which give decent XP. Also, exploring and finding hidden treasures sometimes rewards you with XP boosters. But the main story is like a backbone of the game, and without it, you might find it a bit more challenging to fully understand the game's mechanics and the context of the world you're in.