Damian Harris

*For Damian's Villainy & Virtue counterpart, see here.*

**Damian Harris**, or **The Hawker** is a character in *Iniquity & Integrity*, created and portrayed by AlexJ.

After an acute exposure to dark energy in space, Damian has built a vast business empire at home, and has expanded his successes within the criminal underground.

## Biography

Born to a blue-collar family of an urban district of Heartania, Damian's life wasn't the most interesting of affairs. In fact, there was only one thing that really excited the only child of a divorced family: his education. This solidified itself around a sense of disappointment the young child felt when he saw the life his father led, something he saw as unremarkable. As such, he decided he’d be the one issuing the construction of new structures, not working on fulfilling that command like his father did. He never expressed this narrow, arrogant view to anyone, as he had never been corrected on it prior to developing it, and that was as good as approval to him.

Rising through the ranks of the education system, the young boy came across many people of differing backgrounds, though to him they were all unified in one regard. They were mind-numbingly unambitious. Damian, on the other hand, dreamt big. Ever since he first learnt of the subject matter, he found himself with a burning desire to go visit the stars. He wanted to see firsthand what words described in awe. He believed he, more than anyone else, could uncover an amazing new secret that would rock the world.

So after a fairly unremarkable childhood, the now eighteen year old attended Heartania university to eventually pick up a degree in astrophysics. There, he also began to reflect on life beyond his professional and academic goals; upon the idea of finding someone to share it all with. Unable to achieve that ambition, he supplemented his desire for love with a yearning for popularity, becoming a more open person as he did so.

Armed with a newfound charm, as well as his typical intellect and unbounding drive, Damian received his degree, and began to look on to employment. At an unprecedentedly young age of twenty-two, he applied to a UN-funded research programme in space, that aimed to find out more on the forces and energies within the cosmos. Much to his pleasure, he was accepted weeks after application, and was whisked away to learn the ways of an astronaut for a year and a half.

The training instilled a sense of calm within Damian for when the initial take-off took place. It heralded in a good few years of solid research for the now-astronaut, who remained ever-focused on his long term goal, so much so that it would be a downfall.

The team had rooted down a phenomena close to the surface of the moon, which Damian didn’t think twice to go and observe in his spacesuit. Unfortunately for him, the phenomenon was precisely what he was searching for: dark matter. In such high quantities, it struck Damian’s unprotected suit and rendered him unconscious, floating through the abyss of space.

He awoke in a hospital wing, seemingly back on Earth. He was eventually told that he was in a coma for a full ten months, and through that time medical specialists observed something quite unique occurring within his body. A few coordinated tests revealed that he could produce dark energy within his own body, and the news soon became public.

Ignoring the pressures he had been through, Damian seized the momentum to announce to the press his intent to do good, and after taking a significant loan (in conjunction with applied-for research grants), started his own energy company, and the rest… is history.

His ambitions met, Damian’s focus only intensified to more self-absorbed goals. He became a bit too obsessed with making money, no matter who it was who paid, and began to forge a big name underground as the Hawker as he did in public life as Damian Harris. The good times had begun to roll, and he had no intention of ending them.

## Appearance

Damian stands at 6'0, with a barely muscular figure and a thoughtful demeanor. His tousled black hair is cut short; opening his forehead, and defining his face shape a little. His skin is pale and smooth; inviting you to focus more on his soft blue eyes, and confident expression. As befits his role, Damian wears an array of expensive three piece suits, dressing down to the shirt and waistcoat on a rare occurrence.

## Personality

Mr. Harris is infamous amongst his corporate peers for being a fierce and calculating businessman; his ruthlessness garnering a deal of respect from some, and fear from others. He does not, however, see that trait as his most defining professionally. He is more of a shrewd and cunning plotter than he is a harsh absolutist (which is most likely the biggest reason why he has thrived in such a cutthroat environment).

He separates his work and personal life by enjoying the fruits of extreme wealth. When he is alone and unburdened with work, he will mess about with whatever toys he has bought recently; or sit back with some extreme luxury to hand. Despite this, Damian still prefers to be liked, and keeps his frivolous lifestyle private. He is a man after the hearts of the bigwigs in the board of directors, as well as the perceived little people, working all day to see him work his charm on the television at night. He feels it’s only proper that he wins the popularity game on top of the competition of business enterprise. After all, he feels he deserves it.