On mobile so short answer now, long answer later.

About the birthdate thing, gonna have to get back to you. I think we can pick birthdays during expo maybe but if you jump in after launch you get the birthdate the character had?

Anyway, you are altering an existing character. You will spark into someone that already exists somewhere, fudge his looks around a bit, and start from where they start. Since most characters not needing story points to jump into will be kids anyway, you arent really changing their face but what they will look like as an adult. Think of this as controlled puberty.

Part of picking your character is going to be tribe and location. If you want someone that is Dras in a biome that isnt Dras your choices will be a lot more limited. You do not pick a character and then move them (unless you move them after sparking in) so pick wisely.

Surname reservations if I remember correctly give you access to that surname on any character of the same soul. So again, pick wisely.

Also one thing to mention is that Character creation was only showing wards(orphans) which are purebred only no hybrid wards available at all.

With Wards you have the option of starting earlier at age 12 while non-wards can only come in at 15 at the earliest, there are advantages and disadvantages to each of those choices.

So with Wards you have more customization as one of those advantages, appearance, age and what not stuff to that effect, but no family backing, wealth as a disadvantage.

To put it briefly... There are two ways to begin character creation. Option (A) is joining a family (NPC or Player), which has many benefits. Or option (B), creating a ward with no connected family, which has less benefits but gives you full control over character customization (the way your character looks).

The beginning of CC

Whether you'll be starting as a Ward or a Character in a family, this is the first thing you will be doing.

You will select a soul, which is essentially the same as selecting a character in other games. After you know which soul you want to use, you use a 'Spark of Life' to begin your character creation.

Option (A)

After selecting a soul, a map will open up side by side a menu that allows you to filter for your preferences. So if you want a blacksmith, you might filter your options for a family with metal working skills and maybe you would search for Hrothi tribe only.

After you choose your preferences there will be family "pins" that appear for you to browse through and select, perhaps based on location or physical appearance.

If you want to alter your appearance and keep this bloodline you will need to find a partner with the looks you want and create an hier into the family that has those traits, which you would eventually spark into. Although I believe the developers have said that these characters appearances can be slightly altered from their starting point, but they can't stray too far from the 'sliders' from each parent.

Option (B)

After selecting a soul, you can choose to become a ward to increase your control in Character Customization. This is the closest experience to typical Character Creation most people will know. You start off designing your appearance and then you select which area you are placed in.

Hope this helps!

If any of this info is out of date someone please give me a heads up. Things have been super up in the air lately and it makes things difficult.