Silver Spike
From Glen Cook Wiki
A quintessentially powerful magical talisman containing the essence of the Dominator's evil spirit. It was driven into the decapitated head of the Dominator, which was then burnt with a special magical ritual. It is so potent that it radiates palpable heat, and causes a horrible, incurable sorcerous infection to any mortal who touches it with bare hands; the effect is like a black gangrene, and takes a couple of weeks to kill. In the hands of anyone with magical talent, the Spike will impart the insane dark drive and spirit of the Dominator; it is a peerless source of evil power.
The Spike is put into the trunk of a minor tree god, the son of Old Father Tree, which is intended to guard the Spike for a million years. But the sapling is young and not adequately protected; some thieves from Oar, Smeds Stahl, Tully Stahl, Timmy Locan, and Old Man Fish succeed in stealing the spike by throwing wood on the tree and setting it on fire. Timmy touches the Spike unfortunately.
They bring the Spike back to Oar and hide it, hoping to sell it to the highest bidder. The city fills with every unscrupulous mage in a thousand miles, driven by the desire to find the Spike; two dark sorcerers from Charm, placed in charge of the city, fuel the chaos in hopes of getting the Spike themselves. The Spike extends an evil influence throughout the town, both fueling and feeding on the miasma of violence and evil in the city. It is so powerful a lure that the Limper travels thousands of miles to get it, leaving off his vengeful pursuit of the Lady.
Old Father Tree decrees that the Spike must be destroyed, as do responsible heads within the Imperial bureaucracy. It takes a titanic battle that slays most of the principals in and around Oar before the Spike is secured. Its final victim is Raven, who touches it unawares and is instantly flooded with the Dominator's spirit; he is killed instantly by a javelin to the head.
Old Father Tree offers to dispose of the Spike in a dark place "between dimensions" where only a greater and more evil entity than the Dominator could retrieve it (meaning the entity wouldn't need the Spike). The Imperials agree that this method is more secure than their planned method of disposing with the Spike and let Darling take the Spike to Old Father Tree for banishment.
