Shattered Kingdoms

It exists in the game already. Gear that identifies as "near god-like quality" is lvl 50+ gear.

Even a fully enchanted leather can become "near god-like quality" in respect..

Mean marking "rare" or "legendary" pieces of armor/weaponry and have logout theft act toward those items more aggressively.

Enchanting increases the level of the item you're enchanting so...Yeah, you're right that it can be made to show as "near god-like." Thing is, if you've infused enough magic into an item to increase it's level to that point you've just created a legendary item. Marking specific items with an arbitrary "legendary" flag is just that, arbitrary.

How would this reduce hoarding? If anything it promotes hoarding. Cut the leveling time and you can hoard more efficiently. This game isn't getting bigger and it's just the same vets rolling alts. Increase the stock of all items and start deleting the storage characters who exclusively log on on the 1st of every month and aren't seen until the next monthly unless they catch wind through YIM that someone died or lost something.

As long as there are no clear definitions of hoarding and is at the same time dealt with equally, hoarding will be a part of SK.

does anyone have any idea who trollking is? :|

i still stand by this idea, btw -- hoarders are going to hoard, and right now people who want to hoard likely can get to GM instantly anyway; if anything this encourages people to participate in PK earlier than GM by bridging the gap a little, even if that's not the best or most desirable idea

Yes.

I would really like this idea and it would further solidify the notion that a character is complete at master.

Which isn't all true. A scout isn't complete until grand master, if you count tames. If not, then champion for herbs.

Scouts would be used a lot more if they can get all of their herbs/tames at master.