There is a horrible moment of realisatation that this could be it!
Wen fires a shot over Dieter and Olaf's heads into the driving sand storm, and puts his arrow into one of the huge worms--a pin in a cushion. Then there is a frantic retreat into the hull; the only thing on the dead pan that seems large enough to not be swallowed wholesale.
Highbough, meanwhile, makes his remarks as he strides onto the deck, his Cloak of Elemental Night snapping fiercely in the torrent. He immediately sees Dieter and Olaf bounding toward the boat ahead of the monstrous sand-worms.
Dieter manages a glance over his shoulder as he bounds back onto the deck, and sees Olaf leaping and running hard about a score yards behind him. A giant shower of sand threatens to engulf the young man, but not before the worms get him! Two huge worms dive forward to snap simultaneously at Olaf--one curling in from his left, the other from his right--and knock heads, driving themselves into the sand as Olaf makes a miraculous leap for the deck; cheating death again!
Highbough leaps brightly into the sand hail, veering perpendicular to the worms and clearing 50ft of air directly over the crashed worms' heads. He has a view of all four monsters, and a terrific canyon opened up in the dunes behind them! He sees the second pair or worms turning after him as he lands, 20 yards clear of them, and then runs for the crater lip with two sand worms in dire pursuit!
Those in the crowded interior of the skiff's hull see none of this, of course.
They hear Dieter's feet clang on the deck above them, then feel the whole skiff tremble as something terrible shakes the world outside... a hail of sand pummels the exterior, then comes the vaguest hint of vertigo as the hull seems to roll or slide imperceptibly...
Worms Come!
The players are not all hidden from view--Olaf is running before the worms, and Highbough is about to leap into the sandstorm Heavens like a lure. The referee would ordinarily make a fateful reaction check to see what the worms make of these gnats, but alas! The book has it that these monsters
always attack and need never check morale.
Wen fires off an arrow 1d20=19, would hit AC 2, so hits for 1d6=3 hit points.
Now two worms will go after Olaf 2d20=1, 3! Baal's Hole! That has to be the luckiest roll ever (I had my missus roll it so I wouldn't be tempted to fudge it too). Either worm could have
so easily swallowed Olaf whole
The other two worms go after the lure of Highbough but he is just out of reach... this turn...
Your orders for the next exciting turn?
[f=32]
Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak,
lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges;
torch[/f]