[quote=@Bishop]
What's the difference between skills/abilities and signature moves?
Rank?
[/quote]

Maybe should've put that in the CS. Skills and abilities are basically stuff that your character can do that isn't directly related to chi. So stuff like cooking, animal training, map reading... You get it. Signature moves are the most used chi-based techniques that your character leans on.
Rank is just a measure of your characters skill level in the school of ninja fighting. You can either go with something like initiate-student-intermediate-teacher-master or make up your own rank that works for your characters way of the ninja.

[quote=@13org]
are we allowed to create characters linked / based on one of the side stories?
Was thinking in making something related to the western ships (what are these ships? European ships? Viking / Nordic?)
[/quote]

To start out, you have no idea what the ships are or if they even exist, that is a rumour you've picked up somewhere. It is for your characters to experience if and when you decide to go after that plot line. With that said I must ban characters that are directly related to the side plots like for instance a crewman from one of the ships. This is not their story, but they may play a big part of it if you play your cards right. The perspective of this game is from the ninjas, fighting for survival in a kingdom that wants them dead. Being an intruder basically means that you wouldn't really be playing the same game as the others.