There needs to be a pvp arena that does something along the lines of charging you say, 500 fame. The opponents could be set up in a tournament-like bracket and the winner gets all the fame from all the entries, and items returned at the end of the tournament.
Most people that start this game say "Permadeath sucks!".... But it doesn't. It gives you a reason to play, to re earn your items and become greater with your experience.