Not a big deal, but just a minor rant:
I thought at least in concept, that there needed to be a surviving witness for a crime to result in a bounty. I don't have much experience with this as I've played my first character to lvl 36 as an "honest" type for the most part. (My next character will likely be an assassin or thief...or both) I don't break into homes, I don't steal anything, and I don't attack non-hostiles except for a few cases with extenuating circumstances:
1) When I first started the game, I basically slaughtered Riverwood. I came upon a locked door to a house and picked the lock. The woman asked me to leave her house, which I did. I didn't steal anything and dind't think it was a big deal. However, a minute later Faendal comes running up and attacks me outside. I had no idea who he was or why he was attacking me, but I defend myself and kill him. Suddenly everyone I come across is attacking me. Again, I kill them in self defense. Pretty much every citizen except those in the Inn and the trading post meets this fate, maybe 10 people or so. It seemed like an awful over-reaction to a picked lock I have to say. I figured the town was crazy and went on my way. I resolved to be more careful in my explorations and respect people's homes to avoid any such misunderstanding in the future. I had a 1,000 gold bounty, but it was gone by the time I left the town. I am guessing it was because all witnesses were dead perhaps? I actually arrived in Whiterun with a 40 gold bounty. Not sure how that works - did someone run ahead to inform the authorities I picked a lock, but left out the part about killing 10 people?
2) I mistook a simple hunter in the woods for a bandit from a distance and snuck up and killed him with a bow. I hadn't saved in about an hour, so didn't feel like reloading. I felt badly, but I figured it was an honest mistake and no one was around so no bounty resulted.
3) I transformed into a werewolf, killed those 2 annoying Ailk'r guys near the gate in Whiterun, and ran off onto the plains to avoid detection when I transformed back. Sorry, this was out of line with how I've played my character, but I just hated those guys. Again, no bounty.
4) I always free Stormcloak prisoners and kill the 3 Imperial guards escorting him. To my knowledge this is not a crime and doesn't show up in my crime statistics. I am a Stormcloak and they are my enemy.
Anyway, back to my main point. I came across some Thalmor escorting a Stormcloak prisoner out in the middle of nowhere. No one else around. As with the Imperials, I opt to free him and kill the Thalmor. I get a message that a bounty of 40 gold has been added in Haafingar. This makes no sense whatsoever. There are no witnesses. Did one of them call back to the embassy on his cell phone in the middle of the fight? And why 40 gold? Wouldn't killing them constitute a bigger bounty? I didn't steal anything or pick any locks.
Like I said, not a big deal. I know small bounties are easily manageable. It's just an annoying inconsistency.
I thought at least in concept, that there needed to be a surviving witness for a crime to result in a bounty. I don't have much experience with this as I've played my first character to lvl 36 as an "honest" type for the most part. (My next character will likely be an assassin or thief...or both) I don't break into homes, I don't steal anything, and I don't attack non-hostiles except for a few cases with extenuating circumstances:
1) When I first started the game, I basically slaughtered Riverwood. I came upon a locked door to a house and picked the lock. The woman asked me to leave her house, which I did. I didn't steal anything and dind't think it was a big deal. However, a minute later Faendal comes running up and attacks me outside. I had no idea who he was or why he was attacking me, but I defend myself and kill him. Suddenly everyone I come across is attacking me. Again, I kill them in self defense. Pretty much every citizen except those in the Inn and the trading post meets this fate, maybe 10 people or so. It seemed like an awful over-reaction to a picked lock I have to say. I figured the town was crazy and went on my way. I resolved to be more careful in my explorations and respect people's homes to avoid any such misunderstanding in the future. I had a 1,000 gold bounty, but it was gone by the time I left the town. I am guessing it was because all witnesses were dead perhaps? I actually arrived in Whiterun with a 40 gold bounty. Not sure how that works - did someone run ahead to inform the authorities I picked a lock, but left out the part about killing 10 people?
2) I mistook a simple hunter in the woods for a bandit from a distance and snuck up and killed him with a bow. I hadn't saved in about an hour, so didn't feel like reloading. I felt badly, but I figured it was an honest mistake and no one was around so no bounty resulted.
3) I transformed into a werewolf, killed those 2 annoying Ailk'r guys near the gate in Whiterun, and ran off onto the plains to avoid detection when I transformed back. Sorry, this was out of line with how I've played my character, but I just hated those guys. Again, no bounty.
4) I always free Stormcloak prisoners and kill the 3 Imperial guards escorting him. To my knowledge this is not a crime and doesn't show up in my crime statistics. I am a Stormcloak and they are my enemy.
Anyway, back to my main point. I came across some Thalmor escorting a Stormcloak prisoner out in the middle of nowhere. No one else around. As with the Imperials, I opt to free him and kill the Thalmor. I get a message that a bounty of 40 gold has been added in Haafingar. This makes no sense whatsoever. There are no witnesses. Did one of them call back to the embassy on his cell phone in the middle of the fight? And why 40 gold? Wouldn't killing them constitute a bigger bounty? I didn't steal anything or pick any locks.
Like I said, not a big deal. I know small bounties are easily manageable. It's just an annoying inconsistency.
