Very interesting...you quite martial arts for alot of the same reasons I quit the SCA. The SCA also had a streak of authenticity in its political machinations that finally drove me out...just before I was to be knighted LOL.
I won't do much fiddling around with the Talisman conflict resolution system, especially if my wife is playing. It is one of the few games she likes so I won't throw in anything that ruins it for her. If we do start adding official and home made expansions then keeping it simple is even more imperative. After all, it is not RPG light it is Board Game Fantstical.
If you ever get the desire to do some live fighting I reccomend looking at the Dagorhir web site. It is full contact but with padded weapons and a few other common sense rules to keep things sporting. If you have too many concernes about the tussle agrivating old injuries you could just pick up a bow and plink arrows at the opposition and call yourself dead if some one gets close enough to hit you. They had a bit on Wrekreation Nation recently and it gives a good view of the sport. I am a little excited since spring is coming and here in Indiana things grind to a halt for the most part...