Pepin

"What ails you, my friend?"

- Pepin

Pepin was the town healer of Tristram.

Biography
Pepin long studied the arts of medicine and healing. He was a close friend of Deckard Cain, and was the one to hand him the letter that informed Cain of the death of his wife and son. Cain, succumbing to liquor and grief, yelled at Pepin to get out, to which Pepin obliged.

The Darkening of Tristram
During the Darkening of Tristram, Pepin was in his mid-sixties. He was initially a high ranking priest who served under Archbishop Lazarus. As the wind shifted, Pepin decided to hide out in Tristram after Lazarus and Leoric both succumbed to Diablo's corruption.

When a Hellmouth opened beneath the Tristram Cathedral he made the village his home. He remodeled an old building to serve as his domicile, clinic, and workplace. When the townsfolk attacked the cathedral, led by Lazarus as part of a supposed effort to rescue Prince Albrecht, Pepin was shocked. Apparently still having faith in Lazarus at this point, he thought that the archbishop would have more sense. As it turned out, it was a trap, and many in the mob were slain or severely injured by a demon called The Butcher. When the few survivors made it to the surface, many of them bore the scars of the demon's wrath. Pepin found that their wounds festered with disease, and found them almost impossible to treat.

As Tristram's situation worsened, Pepin continued to act as the town healer. Putting his healing talents to use, he offered free healing to all comers. While in his clinic, he worked on concocting incredibly potent elixirs made from the herbs he stored in the back of the house. Unlike his healing, he charged people for the elixirs and potions, as he needed the gold to purchase the unique healing ingredients he required from the caravans that came through town. This complemented the herbs he grew in his small garden.

Diablo was defeated by a trio of heroes, but their deeds offered only a small reprieve. When Aidan departed, the town was overrun with demons, and almost all of its inhabitants slaughtered, Pepin was among them, and his death was personally witnessed by Deckard Cain. Writings of Cain indicate that Pepin's death was particuarly grusome&mdash;when writing on the subject, Cain commented "suffice it to say the images are branded into my mind, and I fear they will haunt me until the end of my days."

Diablo I
Pepin appears as an NPC in Diablo. He also buys and sells healing potions and elixirs. If the well is tainted, it is Pepin who will initiate the Poisoned Water Supply quest, and he is also interested in studying the brain of a demon.

Quotes

 * What ails you, my friend?
 * I have made a very interesting discovery. Unlike us, the creatures in the Labyrinth can heal themselves without the aid of potions or magic. If you hurt one of the monsters, make sure it is dead or it very well may regenerate itself.
 * Before it was taken over by, well, whatever lurks below, the Cathedral was a place of great learning. There are many books to be found there. If you find any, you should read them all, for some may hold secrets to the workings of the Labyrinth.
 * Griswold knows as much about the art of war as I do about the art of healing. He is a shrewd merchant, but his work is second to none. Oh, I suppose that may be because he is the only blacksmith left here.
 * Cain is a true friend and a wise sage. He maintains a vast library and has an innate ability to discern the true nature of many things. If you ever have any questions, he is the person to go to.
 * Even my skills have been unable to fully heal Farnham. Oh, I have been able to mend his body, but his mind and spirit are beyond anything I can do.
 * While I use some limited forms of magic to create the potions and elixirs I store here, Adria is a true sorceress. She never seems to sleep, and she always has access to many mystic tomes and artifacts. I believe her hut may be much more than the hovel it appears to be, but I can never seem to get inside the place.
 * Poor Wirt. I did all that was possible for the child, but I know he despises that wooden peg that I was forced to attach to his leg. His wounds were hideous. No one - and especially such a young child - should have to suffer the way he did.
 * I really don't understand why Ogden stays here in Tristram. He suffers from a slight nervous condition, but he is an intelligent and industrious man who would do very well wherever he went. I suppose it may be the fear of the many murders that happen in the surrounding countryside, or perhaps the wishes of his wife that keep him and his family where they are.
 * Ogden's barmaid is a sweet girl. Her grandmother is quite ill, and suffers from delusions. 
 * She claims that they are visions, but I have no proof of that one way or the other.

Diablo II
In Diablo II, when the player travels to Tristram, there is a corpse at the exact spot where Pepin used to stand. This may be Pepin's body.

Diablo III
Pepin is referenced in the flavor text of the Wirt's Leg mace in Diablo III. The text is taken verbatim from one of his lines in Diablo I.

Personality and Traits
"The hand, the heart and the mind can perform miracles when they are in perfect harmony. The healer Pepin sees into the body in a way that even I cannot. His ability to restore the sick and injured is magnified by his understanding of the creation of elixirs and potions. He is as great an ally as you have in Tristram."

- Adria

Pepin was a skilled healer, and possessed a sound understanding of potions and elixrs. He was a close friend of Deckard Cain, who regarded Pepin as as true friend; perhaps the closest he had while in Tristram. He commented that Pepin could be a bit addled at times, but no more caring soul had ever existed. Other townsfolk had similar praise for Pepin's generous spirit.