I think most of this depends on the nature of childbearing contracts.

From what I understand (which may be wildly inaccurate) is that when a child contract is signed the child goes into the care of one of the parents as their heir. This sounds a lot like surrogacy to me. (What this means for jointly held assets may be interesting)

Caspian specifically talked about surrogate contracts being a way for ingame same sex couples to produce heirs.

I don't remember exactly what DJ it was, but I'm pretty sure it was the "down the rabbit hole" one.

I think you guys are confusing surrogacy with making child contracts with another character than your married partner; which is an option, but it's not surrogacy.

Surrogacy is a late 20th century technology, it doesn't fit with the pre-industrial setting of Elyria.

Surrogacy is having another woman receive the fertilized egg from another woman to go through pregnancy and childbirth on behalf of that other woman. Considering there is no pregnancy in Elyria, and men and women are equally penalized, it doesn't even make sense to have surrogacy in Elyria.

What instead happens in Elyria is more akin to how bastards happened in medieval times.

No, it was specifically mentioned that a “surrogate” could be used. Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to become pregnant, carry the pregnancy to due term, and give birth to a child or children, all of this for another person or persons, who are or will ultimately become the parent(s) of the newborn child or children. No where does that definition mention technology. As said prior, surrogates can be used by same sex couples to have children.

Its probably true that it won't be called a Surrogate Contract, but for now this is the best 'lead' we have on this contract mechanic.

Do surrogate contracts exist in Chronicles of Elyria ?

Yes. In a way. But it is not called a surrogate contract. It would simply be making a child contract with someone outside of the marriage.

How would a surrogate contract be negotiated via player interaction?

This has not been mentioned in explicit detail.

Are there any scenario that might prevent/limit a surrogate contract?

Besides the usual caveat of needing a room and a starter pack, as well as having to wait one week between signing each child contract, this is unknown.

Nice. Thanks for the reply Shar.

I'm trying to make this thread 'google friendly' and that reply will go a long way for anyone looking for this info.

"3. Are there any scenario that might prevent/limit a surrogate contract?"

Yes. If the surrogate dies sometime before the child reaches the age of 15, the child would probably be flagged an orphan and route to an orphanage and the other adoptive parent cannot prevent it because they are not considered the legal parent.

It might be preventable for the child that the surrogate chose as the heir and locked, but any subsequent children, the surrogate's spouse will probably lose custody of them.