Problem accessing WoTG areas

I tried searching - couldn't find anything with so specific a situation.

Anyhow, I began the WoTG missions last week by accessing the Maw in Batallia Downs. After all the cutscenes (i was transported to Rolanberry Fields, btw), I started to walk off towards where I was headed with autorun. Level 70 Warrior. Never being to the past before, I didn't realize the mob level diff was so high. A goobbue aggroed me while I wasn't paying attention (Damn you, Netflix...) and killed me before I made it to zone.

My question is, how do I get back to the past\shadowreign era if I never had opportunity to tag any (S) maws, crags or gain allegiance to a city in that era? Do I have to go through the banishing gates in Garliage Citadel? Or will even that not work? (I wanna find out what I have to do before I drag friends to help me open the banishing gates just to find that it won't work, either.)

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Cavernous_Maws

This will give you all the information you need to ally to whichever nation you chose. You must however, complete a quest given in the link BEFORE you arrive at your destination city in the past in order to have access to Campaign/Campaign OPS/WoTG Missions. It's called a letter of recomendation. Blue for Bastok, Red for Sandy, Green for Windy. Good Luck.

You misunderstand the question, I think. I know HOW to ally myself to a nation in the past, the problem is, I can't get to the past.

I already entered the past once. Before being able to do anything after the initial cutscene, I died. Having not exited any maw from the past, I can no longer get to the past through the maws in the present. I'm hoping I can get to the past through the maw behind the banishing gates in Garliage Citadel, but I don't know exactly if that will work or if there is something else I need to do.

My error. The first time you entered a maw, did you receive a Pure White Feather after the CS? Should be in your Perm Key Items I think. I can find no information on what happens to players who enter the past, die and don't exit via a maw in the past to the present. I am certain this has happened to players before, so hopefully someone knows the answer. Only thing I can offer now is to try the Maws in Rolanberry and Batallia again or see if you can drag some friends along to Gate Breach you to behind Banishing Gate 3 and try that one. Again, good luck!

Hmmm... I think he has to enter the same maw in the present. If he popped out in Rolanberry [S], then he has to go in Rolanberry's maw.

Thank you. I did recieve the KI Pure White Feather. I tried re-entering the batallia downs maw I first entered, to no effect. I will give the Rolanberry Fields maw another shot, but I'm fairly certain I already tried that one, too.

Thanks for the timely replies and help!

You bet, hope it works.

It did, apparently I didn't check that maw again, thought I had. Thanks a bunch, both of you!

Yay! Congratulations! Now you are hooked forever. :)