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- "He is Piero Joplin. Even now he visualizes the next invention - astonishing. I wish you could see it too."
- —The Heart[2]
Piero Joplin is a natural philosopher, the inventor of Piero's Spiritual Remedy and a member of the Loyalist Conspiracy in Dishonored.
Biography[]
What is known of Piero's past includes that he was the youngest person ever to graduate from the Academy of Natural Philosophy, which irritated the Head of the Academy, Anton Sokolov. At an indeterminate time prior to the events of Dishonored, Sokolov played a part in expelling Piero from the Academy, creating a fierce rivalry between the two. Piero believes that if it weren't for Sokolov, he would be a Senior Fellow at the Academy. He also suggests that Sokolov stole several of his inventions, including his elixir formula. Before that, it's said that during his time at the Academy, Piero once settled an argument with William Trimble by winning a coin toss.[3]
At an indeterminate point prior to the events of Dishonored, Piero experienced dreams of a boy dying to the bite of a plague rat. The dreams distracted him and made his work impossible. He later began dreaming of the Void and an entity that he believed to be death itself. Inspired by his dreams, Piero began working on the creation of a mask that would inspire that same dread in others.[4]
Dishonored[]
After being recruited into the Loyalists, Piero was given control of a workshop near the Hound Pits Pub where, a short time before the Loyalists arranged for Corvo Attano to escape Coldridge Prison, he completed work on the crossbow and Folding Blade that were planted in the sewers for Corvo to find and use. When Corvo arrived at the pub later and was sent by Farley Havelock to meet with the other Loyalists, Piero presented him with the mask he had been working on.
According to the Heart, Piero is visited at night in his dreams by the Outsider, giving him ideas for new creations.[5] An audiograph found on Piero's desk suggests that he provided work on the Heart itself before the Outsider gave it to Corvo.
When the Loyalists carried out their plan to abduct Sokolov from his apartment on Kaldwin's Bridge and brought him to the pub, Piero was wary of the Royal Inventor and advised Corvo against taking stock in anything Sokolov has to offer.
Eventally, Piero and Sokolov ultimately reconciled their differences during the siege on the Hounds Pits Pub by the City Watch after Havelock's betrayal, seeking to help Corvo by rigging up an advanced Arc Pylon that would be used to knock out or eliminate the City Watch's assault force.
It's shown in the Low Chaos ending of Dishonored that the two combined their efforts and developed a cure for the rat plague.
Fate[]
Little is known about Piero's personal life after the events of Dishonored, though Harvey Smith commented that he "always assume[d] [P]iero is perpetually bitter and alone, self sabotaging".[6]
At an indeterminate point after the events of Dishonored, Piero was brought back to the Academy of Natural Philosophy as it's stated that he and Anton Sokolov served as teachers to Alexandria Hypatia, a well-regarded physician in her own right.[7]
Sometime between 1837 and 1852, after helping produced a new health elixir with Sokolov known as the S&J Health Elixir, Piero passed away from unknown causes.[citation needed]
Trivia[]
- Piero is voiced by Brad Dourif.[8]
- Piero provides Corvo's primary source of income, selling items that Corvo collects during his missions. In terms of gameplay, this is expressed by Corvo's funds increasing when he collects loot.
- According to one note, it is possible for Piero to use some of the items that Corvo collects, such as copper wire.
- Piero has an unreciprocated romantic interest for Callista.
- Before the House of Pleasure mission, Piero offers to show Callista the blueprints for the devices he has designed for The Golden Cat, in an attempt to flirt and spend time together. He becomes flustered and embarrassed (an unusual behavior of his) when she rejects the offer, disgusted.
- He can be found spying on Callista when she is taking her bath, and has done so many times, according to the Heart.[9] If he is caught by Corvo, he will attempt to excuse himself, saying that he was working on a "Snowflake Lock".
- At one point, Cecelia expresses an interest in marrying Piero.
- According to the Heart, Piero suffers from "brain fevers" that even his own elixir cannot cure.[10]
- The term "brain fevers" refers to an outdated medical term that was used to describe symptoms of encephalitis and/or meningitis.
- Early promotional materials for the game show Wallace Higgins working in Piero's workshop; Harvey Smith confirmed in a tweet that Piero and Wallace's head models were switched at some point between the making of the promotional materials and the release of the game.[citation needed]
- The concept art featured in the gallery below shows Piero wearing Wallace's clothes.
- If Corvo kills or does not rescue Piero and Sokolov during a low chaos playthrough, the ending will show their abandoned laboratory being overrun by the plague, even though the Outsider's narration still states that the plague was cured.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Dishonored ages masterpost
- ↑ "He is Piero Joplin. Even now he visualizes the next invention - astonishing. I wish you could see it too."
- ↑ Trimble's Coin
- ↑ The Tales from Dunwall - Chapter 3: In the Mind of Madness
- ↑ "Each and every night the black-eyed Outsider visits upon Piero's dreams."
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Piero after Dishonored
- ↑ "Hypatia studied at the Academy of Natural Philosophy under Piero Joplin and Anton Sokolov."
- ↑ Dishonored Credits § Voice and Music
- ↑ "He has spied upon Callista as she bathes. More than once."
- ↑ "Poor Piero. His elixirs have cured so much for many. But they cannot cure his brain fevers."
