Its more that its a generic name for whatever human type criminal.

The mining ones would be illegal claim jumpers. Digging on land and stealing ore without purchasing the mine property from the Jarl in question. Similarly, you can find at least the one bunch of poachers near Whiterun at the camp with all the mammoth tusks. (though they also aren't beyond trapping people apparently). When someone discovers them, they try and kill/capture them so that they don't get reported, presumably avoiding whatever incarceration.

Wrong college, they thought they'd heard something about a School of Hard Knocks.

They have no reason for Septims considering they steal everything, but they also cant just walk into town to buy supplies, maybe they need to make weapons and armor, and if they run low on stolen supplies they can mine for it.

THIS !!!

There are more bandits in Skyrim than regular citizens. Because of the shortage of people to rob they have to find real jobs to supplement their part-time banditry. Some are miners and smiths, some are smugglers, some run gambling dens, some hunt and fish, and so on.

To give you something to kill while your in the cave getting the quest item.

Bandits do take odd jobs to keep money rolling in. Someone out there may have paid a group of bandits a lot of money to dig up ore in mines.

They maybe be bandits, but there not just about looting caravans and travelers.

During war time, control a source of raw materials for arms and armor. There might be some profit there.

Eh, I don't mind bandits in mines. They make good hideouts, and are easily defended. They can make or repair their own armor and weapons, too. What really creeped me out was that mine with the Silverblood mercenaries. They all spoke one line, in exactly the same monotone:

"This mine is under our control. No. Sudden. Moves"

Yeesh!

Well if you were a bandit, you'd have some trouble going to a blacksmith in a Hold to buy more equipment. They need to smith their own stuff, it's part of avoiding towns and being a wanted criminal or highwayman.

Well, everyone loves shiny metals
Its probably their "off time", they can't be waiting out there 24/7 for someone to pass by.

Lol so true. The economy is such crap that they outnumber honest folk.

But I have some other questions:

Why do wolves carry gold?
Why are there candles in ancient tombs where nobody has gone lately?
Why are there candles in the caves of the BLIND falmer?
Why don't bandits run away when all their mates are killed?
Why is Nazeem such a dork?

Money is probably the main reason with a nice hideout being number 2.

1. Wolves carry around little satchels of gold so they can buy a silver and amethyst rings from the bears.
2. Bees build their nests in the chest cavities of draugh. The draugh get bored and then make candles from the beeswax.
3. Falmer are sad they are blind, so light candles because it makes them feel like they can still see.
4. The last bandit standing always thinks he's going to win and get all his dead friends' loot.
5. Nazeem stars in his own quest

A mine is a really poor choice for a residence, it′s dark (ok...not in the Skyrim world of endless supply of light sources), the air is hazardous, risk of falls and falling debris. It seems as a really poor hideout too since if I was looking for bandits in Skyrim, a mine would be the second place I would look (after checking out the fort). Better to hide in a mill...no one ever seems to go inside those and check.

I'm surprised no one mentionned this. In a certain mine where you find bandits mining iron ore you can also stumble upon the transmute spell book. I thought it was a nice touch. These bandits are actually mining iron ore to then turn it into silver and/or gold.

I'd do the same if I wasn't the Dragonborn and lived in Skyrim. Even if you don't have that book and it takes you five years or Winterhold College to just learn that one spell, it would still be worth it.

1. The coins are undigested remains of some of their victims. Coin-purses tend to be made of leather or plant-fibers, which wolves like to chew on. They sometimes swallow a few of the coins inside.
2. The Draugr maintain them.
3. The Falmer like the warmth?
4. They think they'll be the lucky one to bring you down. Some do run away, when their morale breaks.
5. Because he's Nazeem. It's what he does.



Bandits generally have a purpose in the mines, as we've discussed.

Bandits dont work, thats why they are bandits, makes no sense unless those are slaves doing the work.

they need a place to sleep ???!!!

and make weapons!!!

what's your point it makes perfect sense !!!

Bandits dont make weapons they take weapons. Sounds like you are describing an honest man.

You're demonizing bandits more than they need to be demonized. Bandits are nothing more than people marginalized by mistakes in life and forced to hide out in the wilderness from the law, and make as good a living as they can. They're forced to kill out of necessity, either to protect their location, or to defend themselves.
And a lot of the bandits would rather be Honest Men, but mistakes and bad choices (Such as pissing off the Black-Briars or Silverbloods, being deadbeats, or killing a chicken and not being able to find a guard to pay off the 40-gold fine that balloons to muder-charges from self-defense) have marginalized them.

Making weapons?, sell the stuff?

1) I always interpreted it as wolves hunting after people, and eating things those people left behind while escaping.
2) I somewhere read on the forums the draugrs take care of the tombs, and make sure the candles are all lit. Good enough for me. xD
3) This one is tricky, and I've been thinking about it too. I guess they like the smell? ^^
4) they're still full of adrenaline, and furious you dared to kill all their mates. Or in a severe panic. Rational thinking isn't available anymore to them. Besides, if you're so strong you can kill all their friends, what could make them believe they'll be able to outrun you?
5) Because he just loooooooooooooooves to get fus-ro-dah-ed into Oblivion. ^^

Most legit miners probably have to turn over the ore they dig up to the mine owner and only get paid a small amount. A small group of outlaws with a secret mine could keep the gold for themselves.

Im just relating to bandits as how i see them in game as mindless killers, in my game they are rightfully demonized. Whatever there back story is doesn’t give them the right to kill me on sight.