Black Hair, Black Eyes *Spoilers all RotE Books*

[Farseer]

I honestly believe that the black hair/black eyes combination is quite simply the difference in appearance of one race to another. As this happens in a non magical world I don't see any reason for there being an underlying meaning or significance.

I don’t disagree that the combination is a racial difference, just as those from the Mountain Kindgom tend to be blonde, as Mervi mentioned.

The Mountain folk are more or less all described as blond, aren't they?

This blondeness was a feature of Kettricken’s that Regal found very unattractive (as was her larger, Mountain folk frame), and which also highlighted her foreignness to the Buckkeep court.

I don’t think my agreeing with that point on race contradicts with the theory that this darker combination of the Farseers etc also has a link with the Skill?

Couldn’t we possibly say that, even in our world, a certain race or even species sometimes seems to develop increased or higher-standard skills or abilities (or prove to be susceptible to certain diseases, elements etc) in comparison to the rest, or may even develop traits that are unique to its kind? It seems that many humans are open to some sort of strain of the Skill (as an aside, humans ALL have the Wit in some form)…but it is simply that in this group or race of people, this strain runs naturally stronger than in most others? It is an inherited ability, just as their dark features are inherited?

While it could be argued that it is a different topic, a White Prophet not only exhibits certain distinctive physical features but also has unique abilities such as the skill of insight and telling of future events. One does not seem to exist without the other.

I don't see any reason for there being an underlying meaning or significance.

I would not normally attach any significance to such a common combination of physical features or attributes, in either a fantasy or real world environment, except that Fitz himself said that it was significant:

producing children with black hair and dark eyes and stocky limbs. And with those attributes went a predilection for the Skill

For anyone who doesn’t see a link between black hair/eyes and a possible Skill-ability, does that mean that you believe Fitz is incorrect in his above statement? This IS possible as he was wrong in his earlier writings regarding Elderlings (as one example), as he thought that dragons were Elderlings re his visions in Kelsingra, descriptions of the King Wisdom tapestry in his bedroom OR could it be that he connected the physical combination to the Skill because that was only in line with what he’d experienced re people with this combination seemed to him to be the only ones to have the ability?

Of course, having these attributes doesn’t guarantee one will have the Skill, just that they will have a predilection for it. At the same time, it is apparent that the Skill can also develop and be cultivated in those who do not have those physical traits eg someone who may come in contact with a dragon or even a liveship can then develop a heightened “sensitivity” or Skill-ability, just as Taker etc first developed it when the “stuff of dragons” entered his family line.

I hate to be a spoil sport

If we all agreed, there’d be no need to think further on a topic we’d otherwise move on from. I know I’ve shifted my perception on many a subject here on thePlenty, sometimes only slightly but other times a full flip, and only after thought-provoking posts from “spoilsports” – love it !