The first village that I have spotted is still functioning just fine. I also don't feel the negative energy the Scourge is giving and even if they are part of the cult, the scourge should have already corrupted them and turned them into monsters. That is the effect of the dark light that escaped from the body of the necromancer priest. This is why I skipped the first village and went to the second village which is just a few distances away from the first village.