[SixOfSpades]

Originally posted by whathuh: Because they [random encounters] don't always occur. They randomly spawn when you walk across a hot spot, but at times do not spawn at all. So, no, they are not really random, but they happen at random times, even though you have some control over when they occur.

You have some control? Here, try this: There are up to three ambushes per night: Just after nightfall (halfway through Hour 21), at Hour 0, and at Hour 3 or 4. Any party member crossing a trigger point does the trick: The triggers that I cross most often are the stairway that connects Renal's Guildhall with the nearest District Exit, the area just south of the other Disctrict Exit, the stairs in front of the Sea's Bounty, the area between the entrance to the Slums and the eastern door of the Copper Coronet, the area just outside the other door to the Coronet, the open area to the north of the Coronet, the southeastern entrance to the Promenade, the Temple Sewers exit closest to the Radiant Heart, the walkway at the corner of the Temple of Lathander, the entrance to the Bridge District, the area north of the Five Flagons, etc., etc., etc.
The party of Cyricists will always spawn in a tight group. The Bandits will spawn in a random arrangement approximately 1 sight radius away from your PC if they can, but if the PC is offscreen (you're currently looking at some other part of the map area), they will all spawn right next to him.

I agree--kinda funny how these "random" encounters are predictable as anything. If there were fewer of them, they'd be a lot more dangerous.

I'm still at a loss for the random encounters. I've been up and down the slaver compound looking for the slaver spawn. Anyone know how that spawns, and are there only 1 spawns, or a multitude?

Do you mean the one with the 2 slavers leading the guy who's supposed to be in chains? That only happens at Hour 0, before you've freed Hendak or attacked the Slaver Ship.