^__^ How about wefix some special features on the shard.
Like for instance FFA (Free for all) fights that Have some sort of arena, and for instance, the one last standing/alive gets a rare prize?
In another shard i played on they had this, and they told everyone to come naked, meaning that they wount loose anything of value (items/regs). Cus when everyone got in the arena everyone got a set of armor (diffrent collored if the group was split in teams) and a set of weapons and regs. Only used in the fight ofcorse, the items couldent be used outside arena cus when you died you could only go through the gate as a ghost and not enter again.
+ other acctivities like animal fight betting area.
or maybe some RP - Quests that the GMs set up. setting up hints of where a treasure is hidden, (written in books , etc.)