Suggestion for random events, please!

[Scorpio]

Two words: flying monkeys.

[Mr Pumblechook]

One thing I've done with random encounters to keep things 'interesting' is, rather than a fixed proximity or contact required, you roll each turn for the closest character within a certain distance of the marker : if you roll greater than  (or greater than or equal depending on the effect you want), it triggers.

Keeps the players on their toes.