Tom Smithson

Shaman Tom "Laughing Eagle" Smithson, Master of Spirit, Life and Time, held the Seat of Spirit for the Dreamspeakers on the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions prior to the War in Heaven. His fate following the war and the Avatar Storm is unknown.

Biography
An Apache shaman during the Westward Expansion, Laughing Eagle was captured and sent to the Null- B Construct for slave labor in the mid-1800s. After his escape, he wandered the land, learning what he could and helping when he could. Later, he was instrumental in the creation of the Lodge of the Gray Squirrel, a Horizon Realm which preserves the old Native American ways. Although he secretly feels like a failure for being captured long ago, he accepted the Council post during the early 1990s, and maintains his position with integrity. Although he conducted a "secret" affair with Marianna several years ago, he appears unmoved by the passions of the flesh.

Laughing Eagle's coldness is a front, but a thick one. Most of those who meet him these days wonder about his inappropriate name, calling him "Tom" instead. In his heyday, however, he was cheerful and friendly. Even now, he has many friends, especially among the Changing Breeds. These aptitudes suited to trade negotiations over war, and didn't do him much good during his imprisonment, so he has cultivated warrior skills since his escape. Under it all, however, bits of Laughing Eagle still remain; people who get to know him well can get him joking with little effort. Casual acquaintances, however, often call him "Rigid Eagle" behind his back (offenders often find themselves on Marianna's bad side in a hurry).

However removed he may appear to be, this Master cares deeply for people of all races and views. His time in Null-B and his experiences during the Indian Wars showed him the face of suffering, and he hates it. His politics demonstrate his convictions: Smithson feels the days of the Grand Masters have passed, and that the Council must change and adapt to survive.

Appearance
A tall, rangy Plains Indian, Laughing Eagle favors plain Western-styled clothing and wears his black hair long in back. Although he appears 100 years younger than he actually is, his brown eyes betray his true age and emotions. Smithson is athletic and trains horses in his home Realm. Even while visiting the Council Chambers, he smells slightly of horse sweat and sage.