Anyone who thinks that you can't have a good story with permadeath is an idiot. Seriously. You can have a good story with permadeath. As I recall Fallout 1, Fallout 2, Ultima 4, BG 1, BG2, and a host of other CRPGs had good stories to them and had permadeath. Only brainless noobs that want their hands held cry like a lil' child against permadeath.