Kuranes is the dream-name of an Earthly hobo (his real name is never revealed) who had, as a youth, created the city of Celephaïs in the Dreamlands. As he grew older, he became more desperate to return to that city, eventually resorting to narcotic drugs to grant him more time to search. It wasn't until his death that he would return to his dream-city for the final time to rule over it eternally as King.(HPL: Celephaïs)
 
Ironically, King Kuranes became homesick for the common visions of his childhood on Earth. No longer comforted by the unearthly beauty of the Dreamlands, Kuranes used his powers to convert a small part of it into a replica of his childhood home at Cornwall-By-The-Sea. It was here that he received Randolph Carter as his guest during the former's quest to locate Kadath. (HPL: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath)

King Kuranes is perhaps the greatest dreamer who ever lived. He discovered the Dreamlands at an early age, and created the city of Celephaïs out of his dreams. In the Waking World he overdosed on drugs. He became a mere husk of a man once wealthy and powerful, but who ruined himself searching for the Dreamlands. After he died in the Waking World, he became king of Celephaïs. He lived there happily for decades, but has now grown homesick for his native Cornwall, and has built a town near Celephaïs, Cornwall-by-the-Sea, which closely resembles his lost home. He was the king of the entire land of Ooth-Nargai and the cloud-carved city of Serranian before loosing control of all in a dream-battle with Liona Lyonn. Liona, enjoying her battle with the former Dream King, she decided to spare him. He is now the King of the Skai Valley, and serves Liona happily, being humbled greatly by his dream-battle. He occasionally returns to Cornwall-by-the-Sea, where he has a home.
 
As an adventuring dreamer, Kuranes traveled many realms other than Earth's and Asyur's Dreamlands. He is the only dreamer to have returned from Azathoth's throne sane and unchanged. Randolph Carter and King Kuranes and Liona Lyonn are all close friends.