Ogden

"Greetings, good master. Welcome to the Tavern of the Rising Sun"
 * - Ogden's greeting

Ogden the Tavern Owner was a resident of Tristram and owner of the Tavern of the Rising Sun. He was present in the town during its last days, where like almost all of its inhabitants, he met his own demise.

Biography
Ogden ran the Tavern of the Rising Sun from 1259 onwards, occupying one of the inn's private chambers. He served many adventurers over his life, and heard many tales from them.

The Darkening of Tristram
Ogden was in his thirties when Leoric began to suffer from madness, sparking a chain of events that would become known as the Darkening of Tristram. It became clear that some evil had taken root in the town's cathedral, and to confront it, the archbishop Lazarus led a group of villagers into the structure, in order to rescue Leoric's missing son, Albrecht. The villagers were set upon by the Butcher, and few returned to tell the tale.

As despair gripped the village, Ogden's tavern provided an anchor of sorts to its people, a glimpse of what life was like before the darkening. Farnham was one such person, who regularly came to the tavern to drown his sorrows. Under normal circumstances, Ogden would have made him leave, but remembering what Farnham had suffered in the labyrinth, allowed him to stay. So did his barmaid Gillian, despite Ogden's pleas for her to flee. and let Gillian and her grandmother stay with himself and Garda. Thus, Tristram endured and Ogden managed to make ends meet, keeping the town fed due to the tavern's supply of grain and dried meat.

Salvation eventually came in the form of Prince Aidan, who had returned from the disastrous war Leoric had waged against Westmarch. Ogden greeted the prince at his return, explaining what had happened in his absence, and with the aid of a rogue and sorcerer, Aidan was able to defeat the evil that lay within the cathedral.

For a moment, it looked like Tristram had been saved, but it was not to be. Aidan had been darkened by his experiences, and headed east. Soon afterwards, demons settled upon the town, slaughtering its inhabitants, Ogden included.

Diablo
Ogden appears as an NPC in Diablo. He does not possess the knowledge of Deckard Cain or Adria concerning things arcane, but initiates the and  quests, and rewards the hero with the Harlequin Crest when his tavern sign is returned to him.

Quotes

 * "Thank goodness you've returned! Much has changed since you lived here, my friend. All was peaceful until the dark riders came and destroyed our village. Many were cut down where they stood, and those who took up arms were slain or dragged away to become slaves - or worse. The church at the edge of town has been desecrated and is being used for dark rituals. The screams that echo in the night are inhuman, but some of our townsfolk may yet survive. Follow the path that lies between my tavern and the blacksmith shop to find the church and save who you can. Perhaps I can tell you more if we speak again. Good luck."

''Well, no matter. If you ever have need to trade in items of sorcery, she maintains a strangely well-stocked hut just across the river.'' ''He probably went fooling about someplace that he shouldn't have been. I feel sorry for the boy, but I don't abide the company that he keeps.'' Goodness knows I begged her to leave, telling her that I would watch after the old woman, but she is too sweet and caring to have done so.
 * Many adventurers have graced the tables of my tavern, and ten times as many stories have been told over as much ale. The only thing that I ever heard any of them agree on was this old axiom. Perhaps it will help you. You can cut the flesh, but you must crush the bone.
 * Griswold the blacksmith is extremely knowledgeable about weapons and armor. If you ever need work done on your gear, he is definitely the man to see.
 * Farnham spends far too much time here, drowning his sorrows in cheap ale. I would make him leave, but he did suffer so during his time in the Labyrinth.
 * Adria is wise beyond her years, but I must admit - she frightens me a little.
 * If you want to know more about the history of our village, the storyteller Cain knows quite a bit about the past.
 * Wirt is a rapscallion and a little scoundrel. He was always getting into trouble, and it's no surprise what happened to him.
 * Pepin is a good man - and certainly the most generous in the village. He is always attending to the needs of others, but trouble of some sort or another does seem to follow him wherever he goes...
 * Gillian, my Barmaid? If it were not for her sense of duty to her grand-dam, she would have fled from here long ago.

Diablo II
Ogden does not make a direct appearance in Diablo II, though a body can be found where he once stood outside his tavern when the player(s) visit(s) Tristram.

Personality and Traits
Ogden was a gangly man who possessed a full head of chestnut hair. He was obsequious to all potential and current guests, never failing to compliment them or inquire if he could provide any aid. He suffered from a slight nervous condition, but was intelligent, industrious, and in the words of Deckard Cain, "a good man with a sense of responsibility." He never much cared for poetry, and found black mushrooms disgusting.