[YendorLootmonkey]

It's all about perception.

Multi-boxing is not allowed on the server. However, understanding that there exist situations where people who live together want to play EQ from the same IP, the devs/GMs have allowed exemptions. Of these exemptions, you were given one. You don't have to prove anything to get one other than request one and be patient with your request.

Having said that, there exists a certain subset of people who have illicitly requested IP exemptions for the purpose of multi-boxing. Devs/GMs have said very clearly that those who are found doing this will be banned.

So, it would stand to reason that if you have requested an IP exemption, you need to make damn well sure you do not appear IN ANY WAY to be multi-boxing. You never answered how long your brother was AFK for. I would assume a few minutes for a bio break is fine. But where do you draw the line? AFK for 5 mins? 30 mins? 4 hours? A week?

How is this situation any different than someone who is multi-boxing and logging in their character on two computers from the same IP, leaving one AFK to leech XP? It appears the same to the devs/GMs who are out looking for that sort of stuff. They query the database for multiple player IDs logged in from the same IP. They can probably tell that one player ID has been idle for X minutes, where X > some standard time amount that warrants an investigation. They come check it out. They see that you're grouped up, and one guy isn't moving, the other guy is. Surprise, what does that look like?

Bottom line: if you have an IP exemption, don't do shit that could be perceived as multi-boxing. Because you won't be able to prove otherwise, and your story is going to inevitably sound like the story of any person that has been caught multi-boxing.