Bandits killing Bandits - but wait, it gets weirder

So when my mage entered the Crossroads, she found the bandits killing a Raven.  Then the bandits turned against each other, until some of bandits completely killed other bandits as if they were another faction, then they calmed down.  So I could maybe understand that some mage probably threw a spell at the Raven that hit bystanders to make them hostile, but I didn't realize that there were sub-factions of bandits, for them to turn against each other like that.  And then... my completely uninvolved mage got some XP.

You'll likely find that the archers/normal bandits responded to being hit by the mages/clerics.. quite possibly the burning hands spell in particular... I mean as per  this little story we all know that common bandits and bandit clerics don't quite seem eye-to-eye with each other.... ... ...

The few XP gains you have there though seem to stem from some of the bandits failing their "oh sh**, that adventurer has a flaming sword and loads of swirling stones around their head" check (Will sv vs. Fear)... which is a check implemented to see if enemies will run away as you approach, you get minimal XP because they are still classed as "defeated" .... .... ...

What I'd be asking questions about though is the seemingly random number of the DC of said Will Check, it should be the same as far as I know.

While the NPCs getting ticked at each other for getting hit by AoEs is realistic.... it's also quite annoying from the player perspective.  I try to kill mage types who throw the AoEs as fast as possible most of the time not because of how I will lose out on XP if his buddies kill him before I do.

RustyDios wrote:You'll likely find that the archers/normal bandits responded to being hit by the mages/clerics..

You're saying that it was likely archers and common bandits killing mages and clerics?  Then why did they calm down when what was left were two mages, two rogues, and several regular bandits, rather than continuing until the mages had killed all common bandits?  I just couldn't see how it could break down to leave a mixed bunch like that.

Thanks for the info about the Will save vs Fear.  So where would that DC be coming from, my mage?  How would her Fearsomeness be calculated?

Not sure how those saves are calculated.  The numbers are very wonky though.  I've had a 5th level sorcerer PC cause a whole pack of bandits (all mixes from chief on down) to fleer in terror... the save DC was 98 for them, not sure how a 5th level near death sorc is gonna cause a full health bandit chief to poop his pants to that degree.... but hey, at least my sorc lived through it.

Apparently the bandits don't need to even know she's there, to be afraid of her.  They didn't know she was there until she was finished observing and finally horrified them to death with a Weird spell.