Well, to take the last first, I reckon that's perhaps something that some players will deeply enjoy. One of the things folks like most about the MMOs is collecting a suite of gear that are individualized, from their boots of sorrow to their weeping cap. Designing initial conditions would maximize such individualization.

As to modularity of the level and degree of brigandry, I suppose it is an example of how your idea for a brief essay regarding how gameplay worked would have better informed me. This worked just fine, I guess =p