Not a natural creature, but rather organized groups of human outlaws and mercenaries who prey on travelers, merchants, and settlements. Bandits are found in remote regions far from the reach of law.
Variable - bandits are human, drawn from all walks of life. Some are mercenaries with formal training and equipment, while others are simply desperate individuals driven to crime by circumstance.
Bandits organize themselves into groups, often with a leader or hierarchy. They may use violence, intimidation, or cunning to achieve their goals. Their code varies widely - some have honor codes they live by, while others have none.
Found in remote regions away from civilization:
Variable. A band of organized bandits can be extremely dangerous.
Bandits have always existed wherever there are merchants with goods and travelers with possessions. Some are driven to banditry by poverty, others by greed, and still others by ideology. The boundaries between bandit and freedom fighter are sometimes blurry.
Bandits represent the criminal element of the world - the danger that civilization cannot fully eliminate. Dealing with bandit problems is a common task for both official authorities and adventurers looking to make a name for themselves. Some legendary heroes have their origins in the elimination of major bandit threats.
Different regions approach bandit problems differently, but most settlements consider bandits legitimate targets for elimination and reward seeking adventurers for dealing with bandit problems.