As it is currently, even without rage, there is a very high chance >90% to die, if you are KOed by another player who remotely knows what hes doing. If the attacks are timed correctly KO-protection does absolutely nothing. And then even if you survive there is still leeches and sandfleas.
With incentivizing going out and exploring, and actually leaving your walls in mind, I propose to significantly increase the effectiveness of burials and state burials for characters without rage (80-90%).
To avoid exploitation I would suggest 2 addtions to this. First, you are not eligible for the improved state burials if you are outlawed. Second, to avoid food exploits, your hunger is set to 100% if you bury your character this way. I am open to suggestions or deviations to make this mechanic possible even if the corpse gets stolen. I could imagine a heirloom thats left behind were you died, that only the deceased is able to pick up which can be buried instead.
Furthermore with those changes in mind, KO-Protection - from players - in its current form should be removed.
In my opinion this represents a compromise. You still lose something if you die, its still a significant punishment but you are not completely screwed and behind for months.