Q# 1: no there is no events that I encounter that might affect the game
Q# 2: at the beginning of the game after choosing the 5 villagers. Initially I thought its part of the game because for the sick heathen both were healed and are converted. However when I completed the farm only one master farmer was converted.
I'm not sure if it has something to do with the villagers I choose...because when start over again I choose 2 female age 14, 11 yrs old male, 6 year old female and 18 yr old pregnant when I started the game there where 2 heathens. I tried that 3 times. On the 4th time but when I choose 1male and 1 female 14 yrs old , only 1 heathen appeared.