Rankings exist to show the current level of ability of the character. This is based on the number of posts the character has posted, any spamming or abusing of this feature will potentially reduce the character's ranking. The higher the character's ranking the greater their skills, magics and abilities become.
The rankings are:
Untrained - 0 posts EXAMPLE: You can't really do anything, your a normal person simply put.
Novice - 5 posts EXAMPLE: You only have very basic mastery over your profession. Can create trickles of water, flecks of light, basic swordsmanship, so on and so forth
Initiate - 50 posts EXAMPLE: You have more control over your chosen profession. Can create a small orb of water, can heal slightly deeper wounds, can be a little stylish with swordplay.
Apprentice - 150 posts EXAMPLE: Your powers have grown to a point where you are confident and comfortable in your chosen profession. You can create large illusions that last for a little while, you can use a small array of different techniques with different weapons, you have a higher understanding of healing methods
Adept - 250 posts EXAMPLE: Your powers are much more vast then they once where, you are a formidable foe yet still have alot to learn from higherups. You can almost do full body heals, make efficient illusions, some small enough even capable of some small sound.
Sensei - 500 posts EXAMPLE: Your skills have improved vastly to the point where you are quite a profound foe. You can create small geysers, small hurricanes, your bladesmanship is quite formidable, in stealth mode you can move very quietly and fast.
Master - 1000 posts EXAMPLE: You have almost completely mastered your chosen profession.
Grand Master - 5000 posts EXAMPLE: You are pretty much unbeatable by anyone who isn't a Grand Master too.