Before the orcs’ corruption, Akama was a draenei priest at the Temple of Karabor. He was present when the orcs assaulted the temple and massacred anyone they could find; after this “battle”, the orcs called it the Black Temple and began practicing their warlock magics with reckless ambition. After the fall of the Temple of Karabor, Akama led a group of his followers into Zangarmarsh to hide out from the orcs. Over time, cut off from the Holy Light, Akama’s body began to degenerate until he became a “subspecies” of draenei known as the Broken. Many of his followers, who later became known as the Ashtongue, degenerated with him. The Broken who remained on Draenor, now called Outland, were often used as slaves – or targets – for the Burning Legion forces in Outland, led at the time by the Pit Lord Magtheridon. Magtheridon set up shop in the Black Temple, abandoned since the creation of Outland, and began creating armies of fel orcs and summoning legions of demons.

Akama and his tribe lived in seclusion in Outland until the arrival of Illidan Stormrage. Illidan told Akama that their enemy was the same, and that his people would be avenged if they agreed to serve the Betrayer. Akama aided Illidan in sealing off the portals used by Magtheridon to summon reinforcements. During the siege of the Black Temple, Akama and his Broken assassins – able to sneak past Magtheridon’s defenses – paved the way for Illidan’s attack and his duel with Magtheridon. After defeating and imprisoning Magtheridon, Illidan declared himself Lord of Outland. Akama realized that he had aided in the overthrow of one tyrannical madman only to see him replaced with another – but he could not oppose Illidan directly, for a portion of Akama’s soul was still bound to the Betrayer’s will…the price paid for his loyalty.

Akama became the jailor for Illidan’s hated nemesis, Maiev Shadowsong, at a place called the Warden’s Cage in Shadowmoon Valley, west of the Black Temple. But Akama’s loyalties were no longer entirely with Illidan. He and his elite guard, the Ashtongue Deathsworn, tried to re-discover their connection to the Light and the naaru that had aided them in their escape from Argus, millennia earlier. When the time was right, Akama would free Maiev, and they would both enter the Black Temple and do battle with Illidan – and finally end his reign of terror over Outland.

Akama’s name is believed to be a play on words; the draenei in Warcraft III are seen to wield scythe-like weapons similar to the Japanese kama, or “hand scythe” as it is sometimes called. However, Akama himself only wields one (hence, A kama, which was eventually combined for his name) – the other weapon in his hand, as seen in World of Warcraft, is some kind of axe.

Appears in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Appears in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade