Don't take this question literally, I know what they are. My question, are mannequins like an NPC just programmed to stand still and take armor? Cause I've noticed them walking to their stands, lifting their legs, and others reported them folding their arms.

NPC's frozen in time to serve as your personal armor stands.

They're really Hollow-Faced Men from Nohotogrha.

They lay in wait at night to steal the Dragonborn and his/her family's faces.

They don't quite work like npc's though...I've tried to use mod animations on them, and haven't been able to do so.

Sort of... They are a race, most of their data is based off of the Nord race.


As for how they are actually implemented as actual mannequins... I don't know.

Exactly. They are NPC's with a different texture and just set with a static AI. However, this AI script seems to be manipulated even from the initial release. The used to just be found standing across a room and on very rare occasions be seen actually taking a step. However, in later patches the AI takes on the idle scripts of average NPCs and are found sitting and even using crafting stations.

Any NPC can be scripted with the same AI and thus be used as mannequins.