Why does Vivec appear to be Half Chimer and Half Dunmer, in game? I assumed that Almalexia and Sotha Sil were able to remain Chimer due to some aspect of their godhood, so why was Vivec not capable of this? Is it ever really brought up?

sothat sil is not chimer.

Yes, http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=848306.

It's probably to show that he's a hermaphrodite.

Think about it:
Almalexia = female, Chimer
Sotha Sil = male, Dunmer

So...
Vivec = hermaphrodite, half Chimer, half Dunmer

Na, Vivec's skin and his being a hermaphrodite are both just symbolic of something larger... duality...

Well I actually meant in the game. But I guess I should have searched the forums as well, heh.

And his connection to Mephala.

It maybe says something about his duality..he's a male/female, a warrior/poet, a dunmer/chimer, etc.

I believe it is because of his great power that he can maintain a half-Chimer status.

Dunmer are Chimer, but are cursed to take on a more vampiric look, with red eyes and dark skin. With all his power, Vivec can half-way fight against Azuras curse to be half-Chimer.

Appearance really isn't that hard of a thing to fight against...

I tend to prefer that it's a vanity thing with some symbology behind it. He's supposedly a myth echo or representation of Black Hands Mephala, who represents both six (generally perceived to be a good thing) and murder (generally frowned upon.)

He likes both colors too. Ala didn't, she remained full chimer. Sotha is supposedly all dunmer, but his corpse looks pretty golden.

It isn't really that frown upon in Dunmer society. Murder, or more spefically, assassinations, are a pretty large part of their culture.


It doesn't, at least not to me. It's greyish, though, and not as blue as the common Dunmer skin is ingame.
The only golden parts I can see is the half of his face that's covered in a golden mask.

It's supposed to represent the duality. Many other people have hit the nail on the head. And six is generally percieved as a BAD thing, unless it takes place within the sanctity of marriage, in which it is tolerated. And Mephala represente Illicet six, which is probably frowned upon, hence the word illicit.

Mephala represents more of a birth/death dichotomy than good/bad. Like Villfarelse said secret murder isn't really frowned upon with the Dunmer.

I should probably point out that with their powers, they could probably assume whatever form that they chose.

Bah.... I've read A Less Rude Song...I know those pesky Dunmer's prudence is a front.

Illicit six really isn't illicit in Dunmer society.

There is the story, in "Daggerfall Jokes" about the Dunmer male justifying killing his wife rather than a different guy every week, but that's more crime passionnel than any affront to Dunmer morality.

Just look at the Tribunal. Loving, Caring, Powerful protectors of Morrowind, but who put rabbits to shame in the meantime, especially Seht.

Taken Molag Bal's displeasure at Molag Grunda and Nomeg Gwai's company into account, you'd think some Daedra have stricter morals than the Dunmer.