Yeah i had all the needed mods already so it was easy

I played Oblivion... 0 times 

Anyway for a more mundane explanation of Mankar being an Altmer "contradicting" the lore. It actually does not. 

After much analysis of living specimens, the Council long ago determined that all "races" of elves and humans may mate with each other and bear fertile offspring. Generally the offspring bear the racial traits of the mother, though some traces of the father's race may also be present.

Keyword "generally". There can be exceptions to this 

Did you click the link Vaz? Please tell me you clicked the link I thought that was definite Vaz bait when I wrote that section...

I've got that quote up there already, I take it you're referring specifically to that "generally" bit here?  I can't fault that argument.

I think there may be another alternative to the two theories I mentioned. Mankar may actually be an Ayleid. I think some of the build up media to TES IV mentioned him being "heir to a lost throne" or something like that and I remember fan speculation from that time discussing the possibility. Or at least I think I remember, not sure if I could find a source for it though.

Edit: Thanks for the like, go play Oblivion: It's fantastic!

I second this, go play oblivion

Mankar's face on DeviantArt? Or unused concepts for male Bosmer...? 

You know me, I prefer more down-to-earth theories. Usurper's heir theory gets my vote 

And I'm afraid that game is lost on me. I tried it once, didn't even get out of the tutorial dungeon because of horrid character models and extremely clunky inventory system 

Do you know how hard it was to find a semi-decent pic of Manky? It wasn't hard at all - that's how few options there are It's a travesty!

Yeah, you clicked the link It's true, even Vix mentions it in his seminal work: Bosmer are the joke race of TES, or at least the men are because the woman are respected, admired and hot!

The character models are shite. They all look and move like spuds so I can see how that might put you off.

In some ways it does things far better than Skyrim, such as horse riding, crafting and spell making. The inventory is clunky but I wish TES V had a hot key wheel rather than it's alphabetically listed favorites key - Wabbajack and Zephyr fans with more than a few items in favorites are fucked!

Well, I found this interesting Phil, though I won't get into the deeper lore and your ending questions with you lol. Far too complex for my simple mind. I really love that picture of a statue of Dagon in Morrowind, I haven't stumbled across that one yet and it's hilarious :D

Great article Phil. Enjoyed reading about Dagon.

Interesting about the Ayleid theory. I kinda like it cause it ties into the amulet of kings and why he's so fixated on it. Him wearing it in Paradise is such a slap in the face then. Ayleids suffered under the Alessian Empire and the amulet of kings has ties to that empire. Mankar was nuts, brilliant but nuts. I don't personally believe the Lorkhan plane theory anymore than I believe he was a possible dragonborn. Could be though that I'm on a very pro-aedra spin right now. I've given my hero enough to freak out about without. I don't need to question his plane of existence. That would mess him up. 

Also, really like the mention of Molag Bal as Mehrune's brother. While I don't say they're related in my narrative, it does explain why Bal would be so inclined as to leave Mehrunes a nice parting present for a successful campaign. 

Thank you Tim, that means a lot Don't sell yourself short either because there is absolutely know reason why you should think the deeper stuff is too complicated or you are not intelligent enough to understand. Some of it confuses the hell out of me as I'm still learning too. So if you do delve deeper and come across anything that you can't fathom please don't hesitate to ask and I (we) will do our best to help

Thanks Lissette You always say nice things about my work, I promise I will return the favour and start reading your Crystal Tower series soon, we have a common interest there!

That reference to those two being brothers comes from the Seven fights of the Aldudagga: Fight Three, The Snow Whale and the Dirtbird.

And by turns the snow whale and the dirtbird told the story, and its details, and in his magnificence did Molag Bal know that this was indeed the dream-work of Mehrunes Dagon, his brother of razors, the only Prince who dared trouble the sleep of the dragon-eater, Alduin. But while loyalty between the rulers of [the oblivion] is tenuous, Bal saw no profit in upsetting the ways of his brother, and told his visitors so, adding a threat of terrible censure on them if they did not turn back immediately and without further insult. The dirtbird remained unsatisfied and (remember that birds make no sense) began to peck furiously at the Prince’s head, rebuking him and all his kind and the mischief they wrought.

After the recent feedback about oog sources and how people feel uncomfortable with them, I thought it best to not go too deeply into that subject but just put a hinto of it in for anyone who may be interested. So I'm really glad you brought that up

I should put the Ayleid theory in because it's certainly very relevant. The implications that an Ayleid could wear the Chim-el Adabal when a normal man could not are staggering. Perhaps even more so if that Ayleid is from a line of kings... Anyway, I'm having difficulty finding the pre-release stuff which mentions that connection. As soon as I find it - if it does indeed exist - I will add it in.