Trouble recruiting Sages w/ Ermor:AE

[Crazy]

I am playing with Ermor:AE and took over an indy that allowed me to recruit sages after building a lab. I recruited 2.

After that, my Pretender that had been there moved on to conquer other provinces leaving the site with 2 sages researching. Now I cannot recruit sages!?!?

I have 450 gold. I click on the sage and it appears correctly on the recruiting window. But next turn the sage is still in the recruiting window and not purchased.

I have taxes at 200% if that makes a difference.

What am I doing wrong?

[Wish]

if the unrest is above 100 nothing will get recruited ever.

[Saber Cherry]

Also, if a province produces 0 resources (due to castle drain, and maybe depopulation) nothing can be recruited.