Albert
The pickaxe falls true, right in the gap between to rocks
Ray
The clanking noise continues, he's doing something on his end but you can't really see what
Rose
He uses the leverage to push and loosen the rock.
Albert
The rock clatters free, crushing the snow underneath. A few more rocks are loosened by this, the ice splitting and breaking off in small sheets. The man's face is slightly visible, his eyes look a bit... Crazed, and his face unkempt, and he has a long dirty beard.
Ray
"That's it! Keep doing that! Divines... I can see the sun!"
Rose
"We'll have you out in time," He says. He hefts up the pickaxe and jams it down in another crevice between the rocks, and he pushes again to remove another stone.
Albert
More rocks shift, seeming to crumble as he moves them, the hole seems big enough for the elf to get through
Ray
He releases a triumphant hurrah, and starts trying to crawl through the gap, arms first, "Sweet fresh air!!"
Rose
Dar'zaddha gives him space to crawl through, not wanting to touch the man without asking first. He asks, "Would you like me to help pull you out?"
Ray
"Please, I'm afraid my muscles have atrophied a bit. Not a lot of room for excercize in a cavern." He says, "Just glad the collapse didn't hurt *Me*."
Rose
He nods and grabs ahold of the man's arms and pulls, hard. He grunts out as he pulls, "Yes, it is good you are unharmed. This would be much harder without help on your end."
Ray
You can see marks on the rock underneath him, as though it was chiselled away. "I was told there were falmer in this cave, and alas there were. They weren't keen on helping me," He releases a strained sound as he gets back on his feet, he's thin, and his face is gaunt, "I don't recommend chaurus, the meat is slimy and doesn't taste good."
Rose
"By the divines, why would you go *Searching* For falmer? They are not friendly, no? But I suppose that does not matter now. You," He accentuates his words by poking the gaunt man's shoulder, "Need a good meal, get that chaurus out of your system. You may join me at my camp if you would like, yes? I have some dried venison and vegtables in my pack."
Ray
He stretches, letting out almost pained groans, "I'm a researcher. I've been studying the Dwemer and Falmer, there's a lot of overlap in my studies. I was hoping to learn more about their habits, their culture if they still have one. During my time in there I learned quite a bit about them, as well as how to survive living in a cave... I'm not certain how long I was in there..." His mind wanders, then snaps back at the mention of food, "Yes, please, any food would be excellent right now. Even Dunmer cuisine."
Rose
Dar'zaddha's ears perked up as he heard the man was a researcher, "I am also a researcher, myself. I am fascinated by the Dwemer, though not so much the Falmer. Something there hasn't clicked with me yet. I suppose I am simply more into the mechanics than another civilization driven by magic." He nods when the man mentions a need for food, "Then you will be joining me. You are in luck, as I was looking for a place to camp before noticing the cave-in. While we search for a place to camp, you can tell me who you are, yes?"
Ray
"I am Haliochtus." He says, "I came from the Summerset Isles." He says, "What year is it?" He asks, a sort of bewildered tone in his voice, as he follows Dar'zaddha
Rose
"Fourth era, 201, of course," He says. His boots sink deep into the snow as he walks, bringing a grimace to his face. However, he perks up seeing a place a bit further up the mountain that seems to be out of the wind. He walks for a good few minutes before speaking up again, "Oh! Silly me, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am Dar'zaddha Nimplepaw, from Rawla-Kei, er, Riverhold, I think it is called. I have not been out of Elsweyr very long; I am barely even used to talking in the first person."
Ray
He stops dead in his tracks, tears well in his eyes "201...." The words leave his lips, full of sorrow, "I entered that cave in... 101, I think..." The tears roll down his cheeks, "It's been a century..."
Rose
Dar'zaddha stops and turns back towards Haliochtus. A hundred years... A lot changes in a hundred years, even for mer. He steps closer to the man and gingerly pats his shoulder, "That is... A long time to be stuck in a cave, but think of all the innovations made while you were gone! All the information gathered while you were in the cave and how what you know may alter their hypotheses. Who else can say they survived 100 years with the falmer, eh?"
Ray
"The last thing I remember was... The Void Nights ending. The Thalmor claimed it was them who ended them, but I have a hard time believing that." He says, "Since then I've been trapped in that blasted cave. I hope I haven't missed anything... Major."
Rose
"Eh, you've missed some things, but that can wait. Let us set up camp and get some food in you, yes?" He says. He'd prefer Haliochtus cry in his own bowl of boiled potatoes, not in the middle of the frozen mountains. At least then it'd stay warm.
Ray
He coughs, composing himself, "Yes, yes, it'd be nice if we weren't in Winterhold, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers, or something." He says, "Did you find any good spots?"
Rose
"Yes, right up the mountain, just a bit," He says as he point at the spot he had seen, "It should be out of the wind." He continues walking up the mountainside, checking every now and then to make sure Haliochtus is following.
Ray
He's following, a bit slow, but he's following. His eyes wander, as does his mind. He's off in another world right now.
Rose
As soon as he gets to the area he'd spotted, a place overshadowed by a cliff up above, he starts clearing away some of the snow first. Then, he sets down his pack and gets out some firewood he bought from a mill. He sets up the firewood in a small pile and arrays some tinder atop it. Finally, he pulls out some dried, unraveled twine and begins striking some flint against a bit of steel to create sparks. The sparks catch the twine ablaze, and soon enough there's a fire going. He nods his head towards the fire, "Come, sit. Warm yourself."
Ray
With a quick flick of his hand a short gout of flame comes out and fully lights the campfire. He hovers his hands over it, he takes a seat on a log, "Divines, it's been a long time since I've actually sat in front of a campfire. I couldn't use them in the cave for fear of suffocating myself with the smoke."
Rose
"Yes, yes, it is not good to light fires in confined areas," He says. His focus is more on constructing the cooking spit he had purchased, fighting to jab it deep enough in the ground that a pot wouldn't knock it over. He eventually gets both posts in the ground and the spit put together, a cooking pot hanging above the fire. He pours some water from his water skin into the pot and tosses in some meager herbs, just enough to make the boiled potatoes palatable. He almost adds some moon sugar, but he looks at his companion and sets it aside. Then, he gets to chopping up potatoes with his knife. He focuses on the potatoes but decides to start some conversation, "So, what was it like with the falmer, if that's not a tough question to answer?"
Ray
"Well they aren't ones that talk much. I'm honestly surprised I'm able to talk, that and I don't seem to have gone *Mad*. That is if you're a real person and not a figment of my imagination." He chuckles, "They're completely blind, their ears perfectly adapted for detecting any and all sound. They also seem to work in clans, led by a shaman."
Rose
Dar'zaddha chuckles as well, "Well, I would be quite odd for you to hallucinate, no? A cold cat in the middle of the mountains." He nods as Haliochtus continues speaking, "Yes, that all makes sense with what I've heard of them. I am sure it is quite hard to gain new information when they are trying to cut you limb from limb."
Ray
He chuckles, "I wouldn't imagine the first thing I'd hallucinate would be a Khajiit, no." He laughs, "Well, I do have some insights. Although they don't show any signs of their old culture, and they don't use any language I can discern, they're still quite good at communicating with each other. They also put up effigies, I'd assume they are for religious purposes, but I'm not sure what god they worship."
Rose
"It is tragic, is it not? That the once large falmer presence in Skyrim is now nothing but monsters with no memory of their past culture? Perhaps they will evolve forward this time, but I know if that were to happen, I would not see it in my lifetime," He says, tossing some chunks of potatoes into the pot. Pausing for a moment, he rummages through his pack before he pulls out a bit of wrapped cloth. He unravels it and reveals strips of cured meat. He holds a piece out to Haliochtus, "Here, to tide you over until the meal is done."
Ray
He obliges, taking it, biting into the tough, dry meat. "Still better than chaurus." He says with a chuckle, "Indeed. Although I suppose you could expand your lifespan with magic, but that isn't everyone's desire. I would be quite interested to see what their new culture would be, though."
Rose
Dar'zaddha shakes his head, "I have no skill in magic, unfortunately. Simply never came to me." He finishes up cutting potatoes and tosses them into the pot alongside some chopped up cured meat. He looks back at his pot of moon sugar and decides to tuck it back into his pack. He says, "It would have to be interesting, at the very least."
Ray
"Surprised you hadn't added any sugar to the pot." He says, "Khajiit sweet tooth and all," He continues, "It's never too late to train in magic, personally I think it was one the best choices in my life. I doubt I could've survived in that cave without magic."
Rose
"Eh, I did not want to add it and have you not like it. I can always add it to my own bowl," He shrugs. He stirs the pot to keep anything from settling and burning as he continues to speak, "To each their own. I could say the same thing about working at a forge. I worked a forge for eight years, and that builds strength. The same strength that made it so I could get you out of that cave."
Ray
He laughs, "You have a good point." He says, "On both topics." He grins, "I have a bit of forge experience, though I've only ever worked with Dwarven Metal. I hope I can find a place to get back to my work making prototypes." He says, "I still have some of my old sketches."
Rose
Dar'zaddha's attention was immediately grabbed with the mention of prototypes and sketches. He grinned, "Perhaps we could trade notes. I've actually managed to get a dwarven spider to work outside of a ruin, mostly with parts I forged on my own. Unfortunate that I left her in my room in Markarth, it is. I'd love to show her to you."
Ray
He chuckles, "I bet the spider would have been useful getting me out, since they're excellent at mining." He says, "Perhaps we can, most of my sketches and notes are a lot more... Fantastical ideas."
Rose
"Yes, her help would have been very useful. She was excellent at Bthardamz with the Peryite worshippers." He cocks his head, "Fantastical? How so?"