Monk Yama is the recently coronated sage of the western air temple. Following the death of his predecessor, Guru Vajira, who had functioned as one of the most widely beloved air nomads in the world, he was granted the title according to the will of the sage. His introduction as the new spiritual leader of the western air temple was initially faced with heavy opposition by not only the council of elders, but by himself, as he had no intention of ever returning to one of the air temples. However, in the final moments of his master's life he chose to face the responsibility and take it upon himself.[break][break]

Yama is descended from both the line of avatar Meing on his mother's side as well as avatar Yangchen on his father's side. Because of his lineage, expectations were high from the moment of his birth. He wasn't given preferential treatment as a child, but the descendants of the most recent avatars from the air nation did hold special status within the western temple's community. And much to the council's satisfaction, Yama was something of a genius. He was considered to be an air bending master long before it would have been custom to award him with the appropriate tattoos. However, it was clear that as he grew into a young boy, he was not content with the expectations forced upon him and his position as the descendant of two great avatars. It didn't take long until his rebellious nature spilled over and caused him to directly object his senior's teachings. An incident in which he lashed out against one of his tutors ultimately caused the sage of the western temple to pay Yama a visit.[break][break]

Vajira, up until then, had not only been a dutiful sage but also a spiritual leader and friend to air nomads across the world, as well as an important political figure. She was the embodiment of air nomad traditions. But in spite of, or perhaps because of the contrast in beliefs, the two formed a bond. At first, the reluctant Yama treated Vajira as the amalgamation of everything he considered wrong with the ways of airbenders. He had started refusing any form of mentorship. However, at an offer of conducting a fight, of which the victor would be allowed to impose their will upon the loser, the hot-headed Yama accepted. While this fight was seen as an infringement of everything a sage was supposed to stand for, this interaction was the first time that anyone was able to properly get through to Yama, and he witnessed the extent in which air bending could be mastered. Upon seeing the gap in skill between the two, he was eager to be tutored by Guru Vajira who had taken a liking to the hot-headed young boy.[break][break]

While he begun to make actual progress with air bending under the sage's wing, his behavioral problems seemed to increase as time went along. He was rude to those he felt were beneath him in skill, he vocally objected many traditions within the air temple. He refused to cut his hair and wear the appropriate clothes. Ultimately his mentor saw that Yama needed to leave the western temple to travel through the world. So, upon her request and the satisfaction of the western temple's entire community, Yama undertook a pilgrimage to the eastern air temple to bond with a sky bison. A ritual that Yama had skillfully managed to avoid performing up until now as he considered it a complete waste of time.[break][break]

He was reluctantly welcomed at the eastern air temple, the stories of his antics having spread throughout the higher ranks of the air nation. But nobody had the heart to refuse a proposal of the beloved Guru Vajira. The overall agressive and hot-headed Yama seemed to scare away the air bisons he was presented to. And making no motions to actually befriend any of them, the whole ordeal seemed pointless. Yama left empty-handed. However, on his journey back to the western air temple he came across a wild sky bison while resting atop a mountain. The territorial sky bison apparently didn't like strangers infringing on his solitary refuge up in the mountains. He appeared weathered from battle, but still full of energy. Wordlessly, Yama and the sky bison seemingly agreed that the only way to solve their dispute was through trial by combat.[break][break]

In this altercation the sky bison destroyed Yama's airbending staff causing him to plummet out of the sky. Diving to his death, Yama's life flashed before his eyes and he to this day, he is still unclear if what he saw was real or not, but he interprets it as a vision of avatar meing. He remembers no words being spoken or any form of non-verbal communication , but it was this instance that triggered Yama's ability to fly. With his newfound power he subdued the enraged bison and named him Asura. However, both of them agreed that they were free to go separate ways. An arrangement that satisfied both of them. Asura decided that he would stay in the mountains. In the future they would pay each other visits from time to time, but it was clear from the start that they were both free to do whatever they wanted.[break][break]

Returning to the western air temple without a bison, but the newfound ability of flight, he told his mentor that he would leave the temple and travel the world, true to the name of the air nomads. He wished to track down the paths of the old airbending gurus and become stronger as an air bender. While Vajira disapproved of Yama's search for power, she was in agreeance with his desires and was sure that he would find the right path by himself. With her blessing, Yama set out into the world.[break][break]

It didn't take long until Yama discovered the joys of modernity, as well as the charms of men and women alike. In the following years, he lost and found himself over and again. It was only once he stumbled upon the scriptures of the ancient Guru Laghima that Yama found something to focus his energy on. The philosophies and apparent rejection of tradition and communal restriction intrigued Yama. Setting out on a pilgrimage, he followed in the footsteps of the guru in search for a sense of purpose and direction. It took a long time in solitude and trying to understand the ancient writings and teachings of the guru, but ultimately Yama made the decision to never return to the air temples and continue his nomadic lifestyle. [break][break]

But as fate would have it, Vajira desired to see him. Upon his return from solitude the message of her declining health reached Yama and he rushed back to his mentor's side. It wasn't so much her physical health that was reason for worry, but her mental health that seemingly began to suffer. Moments of confusion and unclarity plagued the sage. But she had not summoned Yama without reason. She confided in him the decision to pronounce him her successor as sage of the western temple. At first, in complete disbelief, Yama and the council of elders rejected the idea completely, blaming such a preposterous notion on her declining mental health. [break][break]

In the following years, Yama spent a lot of time by his mentor's side, nursing her, even in the face of being unwelcome in the western air temple. Any attempts to convince her of choosing another, more suitable candidate were in vain. She attempted to impart her last wisdoms into her student in these last years of her life, but the days of where she seemingly forgot who or where she was began increasing as time went by. In the final days, communication appeared to seize completely. But on her dying day, in a final moment of clarity, she left Yama with some words that would follow him for the rest of his life. It impacted his decision and he chose to stand up to the council and take the title of sage upon himself.

+air bending - master[break]
+flight - adept[break]

-air bending staff[break]
-sage's keepsake[break]
-asura (sky bison)[break]