=== The Iron Spike ===

Ah, the humble iron spike.  I could write a treatise on the utility 
of this over-criticized and under-rated invention.  Why the number of times 
I've used it as a monkey wrench in Farmer Maggot's feeble machinations...

Let me see: The primary function of a spike is spiking things - doors, pits, 
ropes, you name it.  Spike closed doors to increase their strength against 
whatever is trying to break through from the other side.  Spike pits to make 
them a little more painful to jump in, for the same reasons.  
Ropes and spikes can be a great way combination for building a bridge 
across a chasm.  And there's a huge amount of broken or nearly broken 
machinery laying around in the dungeon that you can fix up by spiking 
loose chains and messing around with levers and mechanisms.

Spikes are also great to throw at monsters.  And if you miss, you still 
end up with a spikey little reminder that the monster can end up stepping on, 
if they're in a hurry and not looking where they're going.

- M.B.
