I'm not english and english is not my language, so sorry if i don't use the correct semantics for what i try to describe : the relations between entities/factions in my head is called a "relationship", if that's not the correct word, i'm sure you can see what i am trying to say.
relationship isnt wrong. They do share relationships.
The slang and more popular use fo the word relationship implies a more personal connection however. Most people tend to think family/lover/close friends before considering that all communication establishes and shapes a relationship.
yeah it's more on my end thinking since dfhack found a section of unit coding that holds all their 'relationship' vectors that we label Relationship from spouses to even the companions knowing who to follow
and none of the stuff that effects how they think seem to tie to that even the bandits aren't using the follow, like their using fort mode military squads.
what I guess is happening is their Dreams or souls having a effect. they also seem to have a culture identity as well a civil identity so it could be all these people are tied to the same culture and killing someone in that culture is a big no no. then comes the part where their unit body doesn't list a culture id but their unit souls do.
like I wouldn't pass toadyone for making every unit have some kind of 'trait' or values that makes them spit at you for killing anyone.
that said this whole discussion feels like a weird scenario caused by world gen, and I kinda want to get the full picture of what's happening before toady one tweak something leading to even more bugs.
wait what if those bandits become part of the civ when you visit and leave the site?
what if those bandits are really the town's army that the lord gets, and their 'harrassment' is them collecting taxes?
edit: what if murder is a crime, and anyone witnessing you committing the act makes you guilty of the crime, even if you're killing someone doing another crime.
[ETHIC:KILL_ENTITY_MEMBER:JUSTIFIED_IF_GOOD_REASON]
[ETHIC:KILL_NEUTRAL:JUSTIFIED_IF_NO_REPERCUSSIONS]
[ETHIC:KILL_ENEMY:ACCEPTABLE]
Well found this in the plains so I guess since bandits aren't classed as enemies of a civ they fall into the neutral or entity sections which means adventurers have to debate over their right to kill someone neutral or even a Civ member. so I guess we have to witness a crime, tell others then get everyone in town to agree to kill this guy, and only then can you get away with murder.