There are indeed some special ranks you can achieve you don't directly earn by posting, namely:
You can get engineer ... by helping out/creating multiple quality mods.
You can get role play leader by hosting succesfull roleplays (forumgames)
You can get illuminati by contributing something special to the community
You can't get pioneer any longer, this was a special rank for the first 5 or 10 members that registered.
All these ranks don't have any special power, anybody having those ranks aren't more important than anyone.
You can also become a moderator, therefore you need to be active for a long, stable period and obey all forum rules properly. Also you need to be liked by
saltin 
and a little bit of luck involves in it as well.
If you are a good moderator during a long period saltin might promote you to senior or global moderator.
A regular moderator only has power in their own board, a senior/global moderator can intervent on other boards as well if strictly necessary.
Hope this helps
and a little bit of luck involves in it as well.
