This...

[Chauve]

I agree that fates should have a degree of scaling with players either tougher mobs more things to turn in and the such. I also think fates should have a consequence for them if you don't do this fate then this will happen all leading to loss of player control of a zone and having to fight your way a cross the zone to retake quest/vender hubs.

I like this a lot. It gives the sort of feeling that you're doing an event to actually defend specific areas instead of just "oh hey, exp".

I'm not sure I'd go so far as to suggest affecting taxes, but it's an interesting idea.

Although I can't think of how they would include crafting professions...(perhaps have some sort of gathering event. like a set of nodes where you're hunting for specific items to turn into a NPC? like the combat ones, just with gathering.) Not sure on that one.