The original gemstone 2/3 droppage system was fairly logical, if you die the items in your hands fell to the ground, if you decayed everything save a few rare things fell to the ground, that is Rapture cloaks became insanely valuable originally. Well that and if you got arrested you kept the cloaks and contents. The issue back then wasn't the system, it was the people that dragged bodies off to hidden corners of the game and let them decay to steal their gear. Which happened rather often since there was no way to stop dragging back then. Given a decent playerbase that didn't steal your shit when ya lost it and helped you recover it if it did drop the system worked fairly well, most of the time anyway.
Khaladon starts to turn the crystal knob, but stops with a frightened look on his face. He begins shaking uncontrollably and flies across the room, as though by some invisible force.
**SPLAT!!** Khaladon careens off the far wall, slides down the smooth wood panelling and collapses into a quivering heap on the floor, with only his dignity bruised.