No people between towns
 

I never see any people in the maps between towns.

From what I have read there should be people I can hire to bring to my controlled towns to act as guards.

All I ever see is the occasional caravan and I can only talk to the caravan master to trade.

Is there some precondition I need to satisfy before people start showing up on the maps?

people are in forests near byridge and gnatmire and in riverside but they dont show up on minimap. look in the area they are near a campfire. they appear the first 2 times you go there after that not.

in byridge you must become owner of town then warriors will appear in forest to hire

however if you go north of gnatmire they are already there even when you dont have town yet.