I would post this in reply to a thread on the realm forums, but I'm worried about causing more drama and there isn't much point as we can't change others opinions if they're stuck in them. ((I'm also not trying to bash CM here, just putting thoughts down))
As you all know we're a fairly open group of RPers (though I'm widely against characters that don't fit in with the lore), your level 13 Warrior could have been one of the top fighters at Mt Hyjal or where ever. IC wise he might have taken to a life of peace and wants to take up his sword again, but may be a little rusty. Or maybe he still is a great warrior!
Let's take an example of Tak. I do not describe Tak as a Warlock IC, she's a demonologist (she studies demons) amoung other things, one day I happen to meet a level 40 Warlock who IC desciribes themselves as a Master of the Fel arts! If we came to a disagreement and decided to fight things out buy /duel Tak would win because of the game mechanics. Not exactly very IC for myself as a dabbler in the arts to pwn a Master is it?
That's when forgetting game mechanics comes in. In a RP event, why would the best OOC PvPer win a fight? Should it be the best RP fighter? In my opinion its far better (in most situations) to actually emote fights (as long as the other person isn't a god emoting twonk) than just duel.
If the case were that you were only as powerful as your level, then no one on the realm would have even been able to fight at Mt Hyjal becuase everyone started at level 1 at some point.
What about classes then? As I've said, Tak is a Warlock OOC but considers herself more of an alchemist and scholar IC. Though people defining their character by their class is perfectly ok, we have to remember not everyone does that.
Of course game mechanics like seeing someones name over their head should just be ignored. A friend of mine used to RP as one of Stormwinds guards, he would often partol the city looking for people who were warrented for arrest. He used to turn off player character names and would only approach a person to arrest them if he actually recognised what the character looks like.
I'll add more as I think of them, and feel free to add your own and such.
EDIT: Gear? IC wise does prettier, shiner gear relate to how powerful that person is? In my eyes no. It's been well known for people to wear fancy things to show off or to compensate for something. I think this comes under the "Don't judge a book by its cover", a noble warrior may only feel the need to wear simple plate because he doesn't need to prove anything, while a novel wizard may wear the finest, magical imbued robes he can find to try and prove something to others.