No definite word yet. Rankings are one of the toughest systems to figure out how to do well in multiplayer gaming. There could be ladders as there are characters, and there could be ladders for players versus players as well as players versus monsters. There are really just too many things to consider in terms of guessing, and that's about all we can at this point. You DO drop all your gold however.
Word is that half stays in a pile on the ground, and half vanishes completely.
Yes, but they can only be case from scrolls in DiabloII, and you cannot target where you wish the portal to land. There is said to be also a text popup showing where the portal goes to when you hover your mouse over the portal. Think of a waypoint as a portal that is always there. No one casts it, it can just be found at certain points in each act. These waypoints will allow you to travel between acts at will, but you must first find these waypoints, in succession.