How do you check your ranking/reputation with the factions you're in? Sorry if it's been asked before, it's pretty much the last thing I'm trying to figure out then I'll be good to go for awhile

You have to use a http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Files#Save_Game_Editors to check your files to actually find out.

In-game, go to the player info screen ([F5] by default) and left-click on "AFFILIATIONS."