Board Thread:Oblivion/@comment-216.196.81.168-20130719205551/@comment-121511-20150305014337

Daedric Prince Of Potatoes wrote: 71.9.139.140 wrote: The Oblivion version wasn't the same as the King of Worms; he was an Altmer, while the King of Worms (even with the Warp in the West) would have been a lich. It was an imposter. No he wasn't. Mannimarco was born an Altmer, and over time he absorbed the dark energy from the artefacts brought to him, which removed his life force, thus becoming a Lich. An Argonian could become a Lich, but it Wold still be an Argonian, same story with Mannimarco.

The Path of Transcendence

You're right in that Mannimarco is an Altmer Lich, but becoming a Lich isn't just something that happens to you accidentally as a result of being around "dark" artifacts. It's a very complex process that requires a great deal of planning and care in execution. The process is explained in the in-game text linked.