Durin Wrang's page

About Durin Wrang

and his Nightmare Crocodile Snake

“Salamander! Come!”

Plagued by nightmares of a slithering beast as a child, Durin Wrang accidentally called the dark creature from his own dreams when he nearly drowned in his youth. Sworn to always protect the nightmare beast from the loneliness of oblivion in return for the protection of his own life, the two have grown to be steadfast companions over the last decade.

Cast out by his family for consorting with fiends shortly after he returned home from his near-death-experience, and unable to find easy acceptance in society with his newfound companion constantly in tow, Durin was forced to spend much of his life learning how to fend for himself on the outskirts of towns and cities. In so doing, he discovered he possessed a natural talent as a wild caller. He soon realized that he was able to use this ability to influence the natural patterns of animals and nature all around him. Durin most often used this ability to manipulate potential game, ensuring that he and his beast-snake, Salamander, would always have enough food nearby to keep their bellies full. However, when game grew scarce due to overhunting by the nearby city folk, Durin instead turned these skills towards waylaying traveling caravans with flooded roads and other distractions while he and his ever-present companion discreetly robbed them. That is how they lived until they discovered the Pathfinder Society, an organization of adventurous souls known for taking in oddities such as themselves.
With a terrifying beast at his side capable of reaching immense sizes with his magic, Durin rarely needs to resort to violence. However, when forced into combat—which he’d rather avoid, given the choice—Durin presents as a fearsome elementalist capable of calling down the primal wrath of nature upon his enemies. If pressed into melee, he resorts to using his spear, which he learned to use by observing and emulating Salamander’s darting tongues. An avid outdoorsman, Durin was also taught how to climb, hunt, swim, and survive in the wilds by Salamander. To outside observers, the duo seems to share many of the same traits and mannerisms, just as close siblings might. Their bond goes much deeper than even that, however. They are as unshakeable as soul mates and as dedicated to protecting one another as long-time soldiers in arms. Though Salamander is at the heart of many of his problems in life, there is no question in Durin’s mind that, had he not encountered his best friend so long ago, he would not be alive today to enjoy the spoils of their many grand adventures together. For better or worse, they are resolved to forever honor their pact and their friendship.

Whether robbing caravans, escaping determined pursuers, hunting big game, or stopping the encroachment of unnatural things into the wild, Durin always remains calm and collected. Fully aware of his strengths and weaknesses, Durin rarely takes on a task that is beyond his capability to handle in the first place. During those rare times where things go sideways despite his preparations and planning, however, Salamander always lurks just beneath reality, ready to be called forth at a moment’s notice. Not one to miss out on putting on a good show, Salamander often arrives by rising out of the ground in dramatic fashion like some acidic demon-snake, burning and clawing its way out from the underworld.

SALAMANDER

“Can I eat them?”

A swift quadrupedal black serpent with layered armor plating, a snapping crocodile maw filled with numerous tentacle-like tongues, and a long whip-like tail, Salamander is a truly horrifying sight to behold. Capable of instilling fear and mass hysteria in nearby foes by rattling his smooth armor plates in a form of piloerection, Salamander often takes to playing with his food before quickly eviscerating it in any number of horrific ways. The menacing sound strongly resembles the rattle found on the tails of some snakes, though it is many times greater in volume. Equally unnerving to most, is Salamander’s raspy voice, which seems to grate painfully on many humanoids’ ears. Truly, nearly everything about Salamander’s sounds, movement, and very being seems to instill disquiet, discomfort, and dread among those nearby. Why this is, is anybody’s guess, but Salamander’s better half, Durin, believes it has something to do with Salamander’s origins as a beast born of nightmares.

Discovered by Durin a decade ago when the boy fell through the thin ice of a frozen lake, Salamander heard Durin’s desperate call for help and swam out of the dark waters of the boy’s panicked imagination. Salamander saved Durin from drowning—from taking the beast’s place in the dark depths of oblivion. Immediately sensing his own dependence to Durin and fearing a return to nothingness, Salamander was desperate to continue his newfound existence. So, he threatened to eat the terrified boy if he did not agree to forever serve as a loyal companion. A deal was struck, a tenuous bond formed, and—as was agreed on that fateful day—the two have been practically inseparable ever since.

Though Durin now better understands the nature of Salamander’s existence and has grown to trust the monster with his life, he nevertheless still believes that his life-long friend wouldn’t hesitate to devour him should he ever betray their pact. Indeed, should Durin or Death one day decide to return Salamander from whence he came, Salamander has resolved to drag his forever friend right along with him.