The Samurai are available to everyone =D
1. For the mean time you must belong in the Land of Iron to be samurai. Thus you cant live else where until we decide to let you Samurai do that.
2. Can be used as mercinaries but that needs to go through the samurai leader.
3. There are two Academy levels get over it.
4. Weapons will be dealt with as follows. Academy1 may use only shinai. Academy 2 can use bokken. Chugen and up can use real swords. Chugen can use two swords to begin with (daisho) may learn to use four. Gashira start with 4 can use up to 6. kyunin and General can use what ever they want. Spear can be learnd at Chugen and real bow and arrow at any level.
5. We dont have a missing nin class, this is because we kill all deffectors. WE do however have a rounin class- they are masterless and are wanderers. Sohei are a special class which are warrior monks. They use polearms.
6. Ninja can become samurai. But most be sohei for at least two missions. Then they can start at Chugen or where placed
7. There is no set uniform , but you can use the one from the manga
8. The Land of iron i have decided has many micro climates so its not all snowy since it shares boarders with some hot places.
9. Last but not least i have decided that on gaining rank you must climb to the top of the three wolves and get one or two parts of the bushido burned into your back