Comment by ashendawn

Okay wow, as a mixed kid I would get mad too if someone insulted me like that! Poor Sev though trying to keep everything calm.. Don't worry dude, Xira's got it... I think... (Wonder what his expression is on panel 6 :U )
Also, possibly dumb question, but are a runewriter's eyebrow color affected by their magic?? Cause Xira's look blonde to me, but Sev & Jonan's...? Eh, maybe I'm overthinking it.

Reply by Shazzbaa

Naw, not dumb at all! Basically, all runewriters have markings on their scalp and colour-tipped hair, but how far those markings extend and whether or not they get colour in their beard/eyebrows/etc is a bit more random. Severian doesn't (his eyebrows don't have any green in them), Jonan does. (You can also compare Jonan to the guy that threw him out of the hospital, who is also a healer but has no red in his eyebrows or beard)

So yes! Xira's eyebrows are blonde, but all that says about him is that he's half-Varænski and doesn't have dark hair like most traders have.

Reply by Glew

Oh, so he has blonde hair tipped in dark. That must look cool - if we eventually get to see it ever :D