True, but that means spending 800-1200 gold for a for that is good for freespawns, but not for recruiting mages. Do those freespawns have upkeep though? If not, perhaps they it is not a bad deal for a long game, or if you need to fortify a coastal province for some strange reason. I guess on the upside, you don't have to lose your sanity like with LA R'yleh.
