Well with regaurd to people without much magic skill, I am under the impression that spells can effect other people than just the caster. Perhaps there should be NPC\'s in the cities selling such services or maybe real players will start providing such a service to meet market demand, in any case it should ofcourse be possible. Although I think in staying with the role playing goal of planeshift it should be a spell magicians can learn, thus a role they can play.
Call it insurance if you like but the reason I think it\'s a good idea is it gives objects life in a way and it creates a solution to the problem of (NOOOO I LOST MY UBER TOTALY SWEET LIGTNING FIRERING DEATH BLADE THAT I WILL NEVER EVER FIND AGAIN). It also gives a new dimension to the game in that a newbie would be able to wield an almighty powerfull item but not control it and thus most likely loose it again, whereas it would become a part of an almighty player.
Anyways it was just a thought. I\'m sure the dev team have thought of some other good system anyway.