So I'm working on a project, and rather than explain it I'll just link to this mod: skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9494//?

So basically, the player can encounter various factions and groups fighting in various locations for various reasons, each is triggered by various interactions with the world. It's pretty various.

There is of course the vanilla groups, such as Ashlanders, Orc bandits, Temple, Imperial legion, 6th house etc.

And then I'll be adding a few new ones: Dwemer scouting parties, ferral Kwama, pirates, bandits (like in Oblivion and Skyrim! Wooo!)

And it'll work like this:

Temple quest: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Malacath_of_the_House_of_Troubles

After receiving the mission, various daedra can be found attacking small towns with a temple. Vos, Molag Mar and Suran. The script will select one of these three towns, and the next time the player visits, if they're in the right location, they'll be attacked by Daedra. (But this won't happen after you finish the quest)

Mainquest: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Sixth_House_Base

After clearing out the 6th house base in the Bitter Coast, one Seyda Neen, Gnaar Mok and Hla Old will be selected by the script, then attacked.

Imperial: Help secure Buckmoth from a hoard of cliche walkers.

That's only two quests, but you get the gist. I can't imagine the scripts being to hard, they just have to wait for the player to accept the quests/say they're finished to toggle it on and off. I'm just not sure how the battles would be "random" and not every time the player rests for 72 hours. I'm also not sure what the best way to manage the random selection of a sample for towns. My scripting knowledge is limited to theft.

I don't want to spoil every single quest available for myself: there's still some I haven't done... But does anyone have suggestions for any of the more select battles? Random Orc barbarian attacks and Dwemer "scouting parties," or whatever can simply be random. But it'll be better to have as little spontaneous ones as possible, to make each event more unique. I don't want people to play the mod and go "oh god, this is when those giant rats attack Balmora AGAIN."

Idea! Wanted!

Starving wolf packs and werewolf attacks on Solstheim? Organized vampire attack (only at night!), dreugh warband blocking a harbor, blighted creatures, ... Maybe instead of a simple battle a more siege-like placement, like a 6th House group blocking the entrance to Molag Mar?

Could this kind of scripting be used for non-hostile random groups, like Shalk or Guar herders, merchant caravans, ...?

This sounds very interesting!

Maybe start the proper global script by recieving the quest from quest-giver.

Then the script would select one of the possible locations by using Random function and wait till player enters the chosen area. When he does, it would spawn monsters/bandits etc. and stop.

At least that's how I would imagine it could work.

How does this work with regards to who gets attacked? It could be quite annoying to have quest givers die before you have a chance of saving them, as happens in Skyrim (even worse given Morrowind doesn't do essential (which is good, but only when the choice isn't ripped from your hands)) so will the daedra target guards specifically or something?

When I get back to Of Ash and Blight, I've had plans to make blight creatures actually attack settlements. To go along with the dialogue we hear in game of such occurrences. So that's one suggestion which could be going on for the entire main quest.

Dwemer scouting parties sounds interesting, but I don't think those automatons would care about scouting, they're in protect and preservation mode from what we've seen. I'm sure SOMEthing could be thought up to explain why they're wandering about: maybe just call them "malfunctioning dwemer centurions" or something.

Vampire "bloodhunters" out looking for new cattle at night.

That's all I got for now, it does sound like a nice idea. Though I'm also unsure how the randomization would play out.

About rats though... perhaps there could be occasional outbreaks of rats into the canolworks from the underworks in Vivec.

I think that wolli meant parties of adventurers seeking dwemer treasures