Messages

You can try "CTRL (+) \" then writing "cheatmenu" on the text box. Turn off with the same command then type "nocheatmenu" instead. Unless you already know that and the option was completely removed from the mod. I'm still on 1.3 for now so that worked for me.

for future reference, helping them with quests, supplying them troops and such things can help them keep going, in my playthrough I always sell them prisioners, sometimes even donate units, and they almost crushed the freefolk at 150+ days.