You can both select a family that has enough NPC's to spawn into to be part of the same family, or as bloodline + you'll have your own family that will have family codes that will enable you to be able to open or lock those codes so that you are able to give it to people who you want to be part of your family granted that you have the NPC's available for them to spark into.

https://chroniclesofelyria.com/blog/346/Design-Journal-2-Soul-Selection-Destiny-Achievements-and-Soul-Mates

https://chroniclesofelyria.com/blog/414/Design-Journal-5-Families-Family-Selection

https://chroniclesofelyria.com/blog/435/DJ-6-Character-Customization-and-Bloodlines

You can both start in game in the same family, or from different families and merge them or whatever you want to do. When you have a surname for yourself from the surname package it just unlocks that surname to play in game~! So you don't have to select it. It becomes one of your available surnames to choose from during character selection.

Hey, on mobile so forgive the lack of links and quotes I usually try to add.

About surnames, you and your brother can reserve 2 different surnames, and then when you get in game simply Not use one of the reserved surnames. Hell you dont have to use either, its up to you.

Joining a family together should be easy also. You will just want to find one that has 2 people of ages appropriate to spark into, then you can both use your ep to help customize as you wish during expo.

Keep in mind though that the more specific you are on what you want tp spark into the less options you will find. A family with 2 kids should be east. A family of blacksmiths that are janoan and in a settlement with coastal access, would be a lot harder.

edit Ah, violet beat me while i typed all slow on mobile. Ah well

🤗

It may be possible to create a clan or house association tied to one of the surnames and admit the other surname as a lesser family. We know of at least one tribe that has an existing clan system. While most Waerd clans are considered to be an aspect of settlement charters there is also a single server-wide Skirmisher clan that is an association. The clan name can be used as a surname.

Thank you everyone for the info! looks like we should have no probs doing what we want, and even have a few options as to how to do it.