Forlorn

Merisiel is an example of a Forlorn elf.

The Forlorn are a category of elf that differ from other elves by upbringing rather than ethnicity. They spend their lengthy childhood in non-elven (typically human) communities, and tend toward melancholy because of the extraordinary imbalance in life expectancy between them and their adopted families. The earliest Forlorn were the orphaned children of elves who refused to abandon Golarion from the predicted devastation wrought by Earthfall.

Characteristics

Witnessing the slow decay of age and finally the death of their non-elven friends and family members has a particularly profound impact on a Forlorn's psyche. Tragically, many of them become downcast, or even withdraw entirely from others. It is not uncommon for members of the Forlorn to travel from place to place, fleeing from a home they perceive as being tainted by death. Prejudice and discrimination, both from humans and elves, can also be a factor for these elves.

Relations with others

The Forlorn are often treated with a mixture of pity and mistrust by other elves, who marginalize them in a way similar to aiuvarins. Their non-elvish upbringing is seen as a major disability by these elves, although more open-minded individuals, such as Queen Telandia Edasseril would love dearly to bring these scarred individuals into elven society to find a better life. From the point of view of Golarion's shorter lived races, however, there are few obvious differences between the Forlorn and other elves, save for a somber attitude, which many mistake for elven aloofness. Forlorn are prized (and often hired as guards) by merchants and caravan leaders for their innate perceptiveness and connection to the natural world.

Forlorn culture

Though not always a pious group, the Forlorn tend to favour deities of travel, particularly Desna.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.