I don't remember how to spell the Warden's name in Joppa, but after coming back to Joppa for the tenth time or something, he was randomly hostile towards me. And I subsequently got obliterated. He wasn't hostile before at all, and the internet says sometimes he's hostile towards Mehmet, but nothing happened between them at all.

The only thing I can think of is that I killed a Legendary Croc, got low ass rep, and somehow angered the Warden.

Basically, everything pertaining to how any entity in the game acts towards any other entity is governed by the faction/reputation system. The wardens (of Joppa, Kyakukya and any other village) are their own faction. Same is true for the dromad merchants and the zealots. You probably managed to kill a legendary who was loved by the Fellowship of the Wardens, which made him hostile.

Managing faction reputation can have a big impact on your run. There are some factions where neutral/positive is extremely desirable, like robots for example, as it makes some really scary stuff not obliterate you on sight. Always look at legendaries before fighting them, and if they are loved/admired by factions you don't want to be hostile with, avoid them. You do not need to fight everything in Qud.

Same is true for the water ritual. If someone friendly to you is hated by someone you don't want to get in trouble with, don't do it.

Yea that's kind of what I thought.
I'm not even mad about the death, since after it happened I kind of assumed the Warden liked that gator.
I kind of like that I was punished for my nonsensical hunting.