[ano]

In LA population doesn't really die that fast. By turn 60 with heavy patrolling from turn2 I have now 10000 in my capital (dom 10, growth 3)
Priests are generally better researchers than starchildren, more useful on battlefield and have more hp. So they are very good in the case you have many castles. If you don't have many, then you should recruit blue Starspawn mages.