Someone help me with how reputation works

[ReichLivesMatter]

I ended up getting some sort of graphic of a red sack with coins coming out of it next to the compass on my screen. Looking at the codex , I'm guessing this is somehow a negative thing but not sure exactly what it means.

How do you know when your reputation increases or decreases? It just now happened in Rattay that I had the sack with coins graphic, and I looked and my repuation with the villagers is now under 50% whereas before, I swore it was over 60. I haven't stolen/been caught and haven't done anything (to my knowledge) to cause it to decrease.

Few questions:

- I am eating out of the stew pot at the mill (where I have a room); is this somehow looked upon as petty theft?

- Is eating out of a stew pot anywhere looked upon as petty theft? Occured to me this may be whats causing a very slow reputation hit even though noone says a word about it.

- If you come across someone in the middle of the woods that accuses you of something you didn't do (poaching) and they run off to tell on you; is there a negative hit if you kill them in the middle of nowhere with no witnesses?

- Is anything 'bad' you do where you care caught, but end up killing the only witness still held against you somehow?

- I knocked out a wench in a tavern that was sleeping at night. The 'people will take notice when you do bad things' icon came up; is there a way to take a rep hit from KDing someone whos sleeping yet had zero witnesses? The next day she acted like nothing happened.

- I was told that hunting in the forests is considered poaching because its The Lords' Land; is there any way that hunting ends up coming back to bite you?

So how exactly does the rep work? And how do I know when its gone done and when/how do I increase it?

[HunZolka]

When you commit a crime you usually get that prompt about people reporting crimes etc. I have the feeling that knocking upt sleeping people, or someone who just saw you move behind them may report you, on my first night near Rattay I also got a very low rep and a bounty, I can only guess that it was because of such things.
As for eating from pots, it's not illegal anywhere, and generally nothing illegal should cause you trouble as long as there remains no living witness. Like the gamekeeper should be killed if he runs to report you.

You can check your reputation with different towns under the player menu, it takes like a day for certain crimes or good deeds to take effect.

Even considering all this, there are times when reputation just seems to change drastically for no apparent reason, for example after completing a quest.

[ReichLivesMatter]

What does the red sack with coins coming out displayed next to the compass mean?

[Aragosnat]

It means someone saw you comite a crime and has reported you.

[ReichLivesMatter]

Thats odd. When I saw it, I was eating from the stew pot a tthe Miller's house (where my bed is), which is why I was wondering if eating from the pot was considered stealing.

Would the sack/coin graphic be instant on when the crime occured, or when it was reported? As per a reply above, its said that it may take some time for a crime to be reported; thinking this may be what happened? It was delayed?

[Ason]

Stay out of the area for a few days (depending on what you did, I think) and your bounty will go away but I think your rep in the town will still go down.

[Ason]

Did you do the Millers thieving quests at the executioners?

[ReichLivesMatter]

How do you know if there is a bounty on you?

[Ason]

Thats what that red sack with coins means.

[ReichLivesMatter]

Originally posted by •҉ Ason:

Did you do the Millers thieving quests at the executioners?

I did. But it was days ago and I got away without any witnesses.

[Ason]

Did you ko the miller from stealth? The only way ive gotten away with it with no bounty is with the miller not seeing me at all. dogs too.

[ReichLivesMatter]

Originally posted by •҉ Ason:

Thats what that red sack with coins means.

Ah ok.

So who should I avoid when the red sack is there? All guards, only certain people like the Bailiff, or are there specific bounty hunters or something?

I had the red sack graphic in Rattay, didnt know what it was, and rode through the castle afterwards without anyone saying anything.

[Aragosnat]

Yes. iI saw a streamer eating from a pot and was charged for comiting a crime. So make sure no one sees you eating it. Just to be sure it is not a bug.

[Ason]

Only guards and bailiff yeah. the people dont run to them unless they actually see you doing something criminal

[ReichLivesMatter]

Originally posted by •҉ Ason:

Did you ko the miller from stealth? The only way ive gotten away with it with no bounty is with the miller not seeing me at all. dogs too.

Think it may be a different quest, I've never had a quest stealing from the Miller, only stealing things for him/the other Millers.

[Ason]

Thats what I mean. Not stealing from him. Stealing for him.