Fire-Pikes

A construct all too commonly miss-identified as a simple polearm, these elaborate Duergar devices are an equally powerful and deadly weapon at range and in close combat.
The Halberd is built from Dark-Iron with the spear part fashioned in the shape of a serpent, dragon, or some other reptile or fire-breathing beast's head. To most, it seems purely decorative, but in actuality, it is a small prison and catalyst for the prisoner's power. More often than not it is the spirit of a minor fire elemental trapped, it power siphoned away to provide the wielder with a formidable ranged weapon.

Utility

The Fire-Pikes are mostly used by dedicated Duergar fighters, due to the volatile nature of the ammunition used the wielder must wear heavy protective armor especially around the chest, face, and arms as to protect them from sparks and the immense heat.
A common issue with using these in combat circumstances is lengthy reload as replacing the gem is a procedure that requires both care and precision. And secondly, experience has shown that overheating is a very common malfunction, and if the weapon is not allowed to cool no amount of protection is going to save the wielder from severe burns and possible death.

Manufacturing

The process of manufacturing these weapons is lengthy and often perilous in its own way. Despite the Dark-Iron chassis being relatively simple to produce the socket for the elemental gems is a fragile piece of artifice that requires rare metals namely adamantium or mithril. Due to the difficulty of manufacturing, most Fire-Pikes are works of art, brutal and cruel, but nonetheless art.

Inventor(s)

The invention of Fire-Pikes is attributed to Kudhar Chainsight.

Access & Availability

Due to the considerable effort of binding and containing an elemental in a gem and the necessity to replace those as they become used up makes such weapons uncommon, but not too rare as some Duergar holds have been known to deploy whole regiments armed with these weapons.

Complexity

Though simple in its use and quite reliable the Fire-Pikes require some finesse and training to use.

Discovery

Infamous slavers the Duergar have long exploited fiends and all sorts of beasts. Elementals proved elusive and often too unruly to use as tools, workers, or soldiers. But they found their use as ammunition. Binding minor elementals into magical gems known as elemental gems is no new practice, but the idea of utilizing those gems as ammunition came from some Duegar mages beginning to use the gems as improvised explosives, thus the theory arose and after many failed attempts the first fire-pikes were created.