Board Thread:Skyrim/@comment-12323841-20130716084813/@comment-26984208-20160215211941

The Nightingale who Barenziah slept with and is Karliah's grandfather was a Dunmer. Karliah's father could possibly be a Nord, High Elf or Breton as his race is not confirmed anywhere yet but no other race could possess purple eyes except for the Chimer, the ancestors of the Dunmer.