Damon Salvatore is from LJ Smith's series of novels The Vampire Diaries.

Before the Game

Born during the 1500s, in Renaissance Italy, Damon Salvatore had everything he could desire. His father, Conte de Salvatore was one of the leading men in Florence and Damon was born to wealth and privilege. Being the first child, Damon developed a close relationship with his mother, however some years after his birth, Damon’s mother fell pregnant again, and Stefan was born. But - due to complications in the pregnancy, their mother suffered an illness and died shortly after.

During his life, Damon made sure that he was always one step ahead of his brother. This seems in part to the effect that the death of their mother had on Damon. Their mother died when both Stefan and Damon were very young and since then Damon had been resentful of Stefan. Stefan himself, believes Damon blamed Stefan for their mother’s death. The death of his mother also seemed to cause a rift between him and his father that continued into his adulthood.

Damon seems to have rebelled against what his family expected of him and also, what was normal at the time - at University, instead of upholding the family honour, he indulged in his own pleasures – hunting, hawking and women. After some time he decided that he had had enough of University and its constraints and went back to the Salvatore estate, where they had a visitor – Katherine von Swarthzchild, who was visiting Italy after a sickness and with whom Stefan had become close to.

From what we gather, Damon was intoxicated by Katherine’s beauty and wanted to have her as his own, but also, the opportunity of upsetting his father and Stefan was too good to pass up. Katherine was also enamoured by Damon but still loved Stefan and could not choose between them. She told both of them her secret – that she was a vampire – and shared her gift with them.

Damon was enraged that she would not choose him over his brother and demanded (with Stefan) that Katherine choose one of them. When she would not make up her mind the brothers left in anger, and the next day they found Katherine’s ashes in the garden. Both brothers were upset, and blamed the other. Stefan attacked Damon and they fought each other with swords, eventually Damon's sword slipped under Stefan guard and pierced his heart. When Damon stepped over Stefan, we assume to see whether his brother was dead, Stefan with the last of his strength to kill his brother.

The brothers awoke in their tomb a few days later, having turned into vampires by Katherine’s blood. Damon ran out into the night, ignoring Stefan’s cries. We know very little of Damon after that. From what Stefan says to Elena, Damon became the leader of a group of ‘free mercenaries’ and enjoyed the power that he gained from killing. Over the years, Damon became more powerful and frequently threatened Stefan's life.

Later, Damon shows up in Fell’s Church with Stefan, having been lured there by Katherine and the fight for Elena begins between the brothers.

Since the Game

Damon was pleased to discover he replaced a British dotcom mogul, so he has similar wealth and prestige to what he was used to.  He doesn't like London as much as Italy, but he'll live.  He immediately started a flirtatious relationship with Johanna Barker, which soon turned sour as she fancied herself to be like Katherine (which he figured out because she did a painting depicting herself as such).  He and Stefan fled, moving from country to country and even for a time living under the protection of Erik Northman.  However, Johanna has stopped her obsession with them, and he and his brother are living more in the open.  Furthermore, Damon is very protective of his brother.  Very.  Protective.

Player Information

Damon is played by Sarah.  His PB is Ben Barnes, and his journal is winning_side.

(Damon's background information was taken from the Damon fanlisting.)

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