Often I will visit my home to find my housecarl or steward doing an activity such as using the Enchantment table or mining (this obviously happens elsewhere as well I just see it alot in my own home).

I was wondering whether they are actually doing anything or if this is just an AI thing to make it look like the NPC's have real lives?

Some NPC's carry weapons and armour with them so I thought that it might be interesting to pickpocket them (or trade with them if a follower) and take this new enchanted item.

I have an iron ore mine outside of my house where I constantly see my steward mining; I haven't ever checked but I thought it would be good to leave your house for a while (to do some exploring or a couple of missions), and then when you return you can check your steward to find lots of iron ore.


I presume this doesn't actually happen (and the actions are just for look), but if this doesn't happen then would you like this feature to exist maybe in the next ES game?

Thinking along this line; you see hunters out in the wild killing animals, so should you also not get explorers (you surely can't be the only real one still alive)? I thought that on occasion (not too often or it would get annoying), it could be fun to enter a cave to collect something for someone but they have also given this quest to another explorer. Upon entering the cave, you see them; some dialog will start and the race for the treasure begins. You could either go the same direction or certain caves could have many routes to the end. If they beat you to the treasure; you could either let them keep it, buy it from them or kill them for it. Killing them for the treasure could have some unwanted side affects such as people not trusting you as much in the future.

If they are mining you won't find ore. The mining thing is just for atmosphere, besides in real life a vein would have more than three ores.

they are just actions. they dont make anything or mine ore.