Occasionally I see players of other races attacking the centurions. They don't seem to stand a chance, they just keep dying and attacking again. Is there a quest for other races? Is this an initiation rite for some of the clans? Or is this just a scene the game plays out for our amusement.
There is a purpose behind what those toons are doing:
Different mobs drop different materials. The toons you see suiciding themselves against the guards are designed specifically to "farm" the materials dropped by the mobs near that location.
You'll notice as you play that mobs which are too low for you (light blue to dark blue) drop fewer and fewer mats/adena. This is a natural part of the leveling process. The player whose toon is created to advance in level and skills will move on to new areas and fight new (higher) mobs.... which drop different mats and at varying frequencies.
This is actually non-desirable for those toons specifically designed to farm the same mats from the same mobs. Thus, once these toons have gotten too high to effectively farm the mobs that drop their desired mats at the frequency they need, they remove their gear (so as not to drop it up[on death) and attack the guards. The guards can quickly kill them, which as you know, takes away 8% of their experience. They repeat this process untill they are DELEVELED to the point where they can effectively hunt the mobs in the area that allow them to farm the mats they desire.
Most toons doing this are considered to be associated with certain unethical practices which we are not to discuss here. However, as a Dorf owner, I've deleveled a toon myself, so it is a good thing not to always assume the worst.
It's very true what Pam has explained here above and indeed there are actually toons In Game that are played by actual players without the purpose of the unethical practices that are insinuated in the jokes of Orvieta and myself ^^
For spoiling and dropping the mats a toon needs to do it's craftings and such, one is sometimes obliged to delevel a toon back to the stage where he can hunt efficiently the materials in the area it is dropped most.
Hope this well versed explanation of my friend is able to cast a clearer view on certain aspects of this game which seems strange :)