Who is Pieter Peeperkorn from The Magic Mountain and what is their importance?

Peeperkorn is a wealthy, alcoholic Dutch planter from Indonesia, who suffers from a chronic tropical fever that flares up every four days. With his massive, "royal"-looking head surrounded by a halo of white hair and his free-spending ways, Peeperkorn mesmerizes the patients of the Berghof. He leads and sponsors a series of revels at which he usually becomes drunk. His oracular speech rarely consists of complete sentences, but the patients hand adoringly on his words. His drunken rants hint at sexual impotence. Peeperkorn and Hans have a frank discussion about Clavdia, during which they agree to become allies, knowing their friendship will annoy and irritate Clavdia. Peeperkorn commits suicide with a cleverly designed syringe that looks like snake's fangs.