Pike (weapon)

Awl pikes, also simply known as pikes, were a member of the spear family of polearms.

Description
These weapons were built similarly to longspears, having long shafts that varied in length at, but had a comparatively superior construction and balance that made them far more usable by smaller races like gnomes and halflings. These shafts tended to be made of strong woods, such as those of an ash tree, with their non-bladed ends capped in silver and their grips wrapped in cloth in order to prevent splitting.

The bladed head of a pike was typically leaf- or lozenge- shaped. These heads often had two tongues of steel, which were nailed down the sides of a pike's shaft in order to prevent the spear head from getting hacked off.

Weaponology
Like many spears, pikes were designed for the purpose of delivering thrusting and piercing attacks from a distance. The great length of the pike, coupled with its widespread deployment with infantry known as "pikemen", also helped to keep enemy forces at a distance.

Availability
Places in the Realms where one could purchase pikes included:
 * Aunsible Durn, a smithy in the town of Ghars, Cormyr, produced pikes that outfitted a number of local farmhands.
 * The Weaponers of Cormyr.

Groups

 * Pikes were among the arsenal of the City Guards of Waterdeep.
 * The Ring-nose tribe, a clan of orcs in Vaasa, utilized pikes in their ambushes.
 * The Trading Company, a mercenary group in Bral, armed some of their new recruits with pikes.
 * The Zhentilar.

Individuals

 * Wynter, a centaur in Thay, was proficient in the use of awl pikes.

Races & Sentient Species

 * Pikes were among the typical weaponry of firenewts.
 * Jermlaine were known to wield miniature pikes.

Regions & Settlements

 * The army of Aglarond featured a number of pikemen.
 * Bargewright Inn's militia of shopkeepers were all armed with pikes.
 * The armies of the Blade Kingdoms featured a large number of troops outfitted with pikes.
 * The army of Earthfast fielded heavy pikemen, following their introduction to polearms by King Azoun IV, and would use them to devastating affect against the Tuigan Horde in 1360 DR.
 * The High Captains of Luskan were always accompanied by an armed bodyguard, which sometimes wielded pikes.
 * Pikes could be found in militia armories throughout the land of Tasseldale.
 * Tethyr.
 * Turmish.
 * The town of Voonlar kept around fifty pikes in their armory, the Locktower.
 * In the 13 century DR, pikes were being used by many peasant militias in the Western Heartlands.
 * The awl pike was a widespread weapon in the land of Zakhara.
 * Beyond the Prime Material plane, pikes could be found in the Domains of Dread. The Barovian town of Vallaki had over a dozen pikes outside of their gates with the heads of wolves mounted upon them.

Trivia
It was not an uncommon tactic for people to mount heads upon pikes as a means to introduce fear and intimidation, even decorating the divine realm of Hoar.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Swords of the Iron Legion • Waterdeep • Steelheart • Curse of Strahd • Keys from the Golden Vault: "Prisoner 13"
 * Novels
 * The Ogre's Pact • The Council of Blades • The Temptation of Elminster • The Magehound • The Orc King
 * Video Games
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Pools of Darkness • Gateway to the Savage Frontier • Treasures of the Savage Frontier • Sword Coast Legends • Baldur's Gate III