Alaric J.[1] "Ric" Saltzman was a vampire hunter and a history teacher at Mystic Falls High School. He originally came to Mystic Falls to find the vampire that killed his wife, but learned that she voluntarily became a vampire and left him. He also learned that his wife had a child when she was in her teens, a daughter named Elena Gilbert, who is now his student. Alaric began a relationship with her adoptive aunt Jenna. Ironically, he was technically Elena's step-father due to his marriage to Isobel. Following Jenna's tragic death, he seemed to step into his step-father role to Elena and a father figure to her brother Jeremy. He was also Damon's best friend.
As a Vampire Hunter he designed several weapons to fight vampires which include vervain tranquilizers and arm vest stakes.