Cool. You might want to check out the Ryzom Core community chat if you're doing a full conversion. There are several people there who can help you set up your own local server and graphics pipeline. You should use the build scripts, because adding an armor, creature, etc. involves touching more than just exporting the shape file. (far LOD atlas, visual slots table, etc.)
One thing, if you're combining Ryzom models with your models into a single model, that's a derivative work which would fall under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 and/or FAL 1.3 licenses. If you do this, make sure the models you're paying for allow this. If you cannot release under the CC license, then matching the model to the skeleton rig to be able to use the animations, without using any parts of Ryzom models, is still fine. (Since the animations are merely incorporated at runtime, and the model itself is not a derivative work at that point.)
One thing, if you're combining Ryzom models with your models into a single model, that's a derivative work which would fall under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 and/or FAL 1.3 licenses. If you do this, make sure the models you're paying for allow this. If you cannot release under the CC license, then matching the model to the skeleton rig to be able to use the animations, without using any parts of Ryzom models, is still fine. (Since the animations are merely incorporated at runtime, and the model itself is not a derivative work at that point.)
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Kaetemi