Red text for an action indicates that performing it is considered to be a crime. The guards in Orc strongholds only permit you to either pay a fine or resist arrest as they lack jails, while Redoran Guards offer the same options but do have a jail and can also be bribed and persuaded to let you go. The Tribal Orc strongholds and Raven Rock DB each track bounties independently of those in Skyrim, and the options presented during an arrest are more limited.
However, if your bounty is high enough, a bounty collector can randomly approach you regardless of where you are and demand you pay the amount, with refusal to pay leading to an instantly aggressive fight.
Resisting an arrest will always turn the guards and NPCs with high responsibility in the area hostile towards you.īounties are tracked separately for each of Skyrim's nine holds and you will only incur a bounty in the hold in which you commit a crime. When confronted by a guard you will have several different options to resolve the matter, some of which are unlocked through joining certain factions, attaining thaneship, unlocking certain perks or simply having a sufficient Speech skill.
If you are caught doing an illegal action by a witness you will incur a bounty and they will report your crime to local guards who will attempt to arrest you. Crime refers to the many illegal activities available to the criminally-minded in Skyrim.