Duran

Duran is one of the six protagonists in Trials of Mana.

Background
Duran is a mercenary swordsman from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains who proudly serves the Hero King Richard. Duran's father Loki, a good friend of Richard, was lost in a battle with the Dragon Lord when Duran was still a child. Hearing the bad news from the Hero King himself, her mother, Simone quickly succumbed to an illness, leaving Duran and his little sister Wendy to be raised by their aunt Stella.

Trials of Mana
The young soldier is first seen defeating the Bruiser in the finals of the Sword Mastery Tournament, youth division, effectively winning the competition. He is seen directly praised by the Hero King Richard himself. The night after, while on guard duty at the castle of Valsena, Duran witness a mysterious infiltrator wrecking havoc. Duran tries to fight back, but is no match for the evil wizard's magic and is left for dead. After his recovery, Duran vows to become the best swordsman in the world and to exat his revenge upon the Crimson Wizard. he then leaves for the Holy City Wendel to ask the Priest of Light about changing his class.

Duran shares many story elements with Angela, who hails from Altena, Kingdom of Magicians, who tries to invade Valsena. If either of them is chosen as the main protagonist, the main villain will be the Dragon Lord and the last dungeon will be Dragonsmaw. After his quest is completed, Duran returns to Valsena and is named the next Golden Knight. If Duran is in the party at the end of Angela's campaign, she will overtly hint that she has developed feelings for him.

Physical appearance
Duran is a young man with a head of long red hair and blue eyes, and is described as resembling his father Loki. Duran's default outfit consists of light blue shirtless top, trousers held up with a broad belt, and dark calf-high boots. The remake design adds a dark undershirt and gives the trousers two layers fastened at the waist with buckles. His armor consists of shoulder plates and braces, a harness round his chest, and a helmet covering the front of his head.

Personality
Duran is portrayed as a straightforward character, steadfastly loyal to his friends and liege, and determined to protect them. His faith in his strength, fostered by his wish to protect his sister and aunt Stella in Loki's place, makes him prone to anxiety and depression when he meets foes beyond his strength.

In the remake, Duran's dominating attitude is one of self-confidence bordering on brashness, and a straightforward world view that give him difficulties understanding complex or esoteric concepts.