Skyrim:Shadowgreen Cavern

thumb|right|Inside the cavern 
Although the marker on the map makes it seem like the cave is located in the mountains near the Thalmor Embassy, it is actually farther north, close to the coastline. This is an artifact of the map's angle and how far north the cave is, which you can see by moving the map left and right: the cave marker doesn't move at the same rate as the embassy and other nearby markers. To get to the cave, follow the road from Solitude that heads towards the Dainty Sload and the Solitude Lighthouse, but stay on the main road as it curves north then west around the mountain.
 

Related Quests
 
 

Walkthrough
Exterior
There are five snowberry bushes growing along either side of the path, which is marked by the piles of rocks leading from the road up to the entrance, and three clusters of blisterwort fungus around the entrance.

Interior
A short path inside leads to a large natural cave with a central rock formation filled with vegetation, with a large number of monarch butterflies and blue butterflies during the day and luna moths and torchbugs at night. There is a stream running from south to north across the cavern feeding into a pool of water, and holes in the ceiling letting in natural light. There are several rabbits running around, and various types of fauna in the cavern. 

The path turns north into the cavern, and on the left is a tree stump with some mora tapinella growing on it and a bear trap beside it. The path turns to the east and passes a dead tree trunk that has fallen across the stream. On the ground at the end of the tree is another bear trap. Just above the bear trap is another growth of mora tapinella, and to the southwest are three red mountain flowers. To the northeast is another red mountain flower, and just past it a blue mountain flower. Farther along the shore is another red mountain flower and a purple mountain flower. If you have the Fishing creation, some Fishing Supplies can be found next to a dead Hunter, some Fishing Boots, a Fishing Rod, and a bucket with three Histcarp inside. Fish from Underground waters can be caught here. There are five salmon in the pool, and on the bottom of the pond, around a half-sunken skeleton, is a random greatsword, a random shield, and a random potion of healing. On the shore above the half-submerged mammoth skeleton are two purple mountain flowers and one blue mountain flower.

To the south, and to the left of the tree in that direction, you can find another red mountain flower and another blue mountain flower. Heading west back to the fallen tree, you will find another blue mountain flower. On the other side of the tree is a red mountain flower, and to the south of it is a purple mountain flower. Look to the east now to see a massive stone pillar that has fallen over at a slight angle; the path deeper into the cavern runs underneath this pillar.

As you pass under the arch formed by the fallen pillar, you will see one of a pack of three wolves wandering where the path splits at a T-junction; the others can be found farther along the path to the southeast. Along the eastern edge of the path after the arch there are two red and one purple mountain flowers. To the west, around the back of the pillar, is another red mountain flower, another two between it and the path to the south, and another two behind the tree to the west. To the west is a ledge, and to the south you will find a rotten tree stump with an apprentice-locked chest inside. As you head back east to the main path, there is another rotten stump on the right with some mora tapinella growing on it.

As you go down the path, you can find a blue mountain flower and a red mountain flower on the right. Another three red and two purple mountain flowers can be found along the outer right rock wall. There is a dead elk just to the left of the path forward, as well as another red mountain flower. If you backtrack to the T-junction and turn to face the path down, you can climb the rocks to the left and follow them to a purple mountain flower. You can also climb the rocks on the other side of the junction, near the stump, and carefully make your way along to find three mora tapinella, two red mountain flowers, and one purple mountain flower.

Along the path past the dead elk, you should be able to see another fallen tree. Before that, along the right-hand wall you will find a red mountain flower and a purple mountain flower, and another purple flower on the left. Just past the fallen tree, a spriggan will emerge from another tree. The spriggan will call a leveled animal, which lurks just around the corner to the north, to aid it in battle. There is another rabbit running around here, a purple mountain flower to the right just before the spriggan's tree, and a blue mountain flower and another purple mountain flower on either side of the path after it. You can climb the rocks on either side of the fallen tree; climb the ledge on the northern side to find two mora tapinella on either side of a large stump, and a red mountain flower.

Around the corner are another two spriggans, one on the ledge to the north, and the other to the west against a large tree. The one on the northern ledge is trying to blend with a stump, so its upper parts may be visible and vulnerable to a ranged attack. Under the northern ledge is a red mountain flower, and a purple mountain flower is on the ledge. The stump on the ledge has some mora tapinella growing on it. To the west is a fallen tree with more mora tapinella and a red mountain flower growing beside it. If you climb the rocks behind it and head north, you can find another two red mountain flowers. If you climb over the rocks to the east and follow that ledge to the south, you will find another red mountain flower and another blue mountain flower.

As you climb the main path, there is a purple mountain flower on the left, and a corundum ore vein on the right. Before proceeding up the path, go through the bush to the west to a ledge above the pond. One red mountain flower and one blue mountain flower can be found up here, as well as another red mountain flower and another purple mountain flower through the bushes to the north. Now climb the rocks to the northeast to find another purple mountain flower and another red mountain flower.

As you start to climb up the path, there are four glowing mushrooms on the rock wall to the right, though only three can be harvested, and a stump to the left with a growth of mora tapinella. Farther up the path, the ground will shake and there will be a small rockfall. To avoid damage, retreat and hug the rockface as soon as the ground shakes. From here you can find two red, one blue, and two purple mountain flowers as the path levels out. At the top of the next upward section is another spriggan, normally hidden against the trunk unless you attracted its attention by making too much noise below. There are two more blue mountain flowers and one more purple mountain flower as you reach the area with the spriggan, and another red mountain flower and another purple mountain flower as the path reaches the plateau.

On the plateau is a small pond surrounding a small island with a large tree growing up and out of the cavern, but be careful, as there are two spriggans and two leveled animals up here too. From the top of the path, there is a red mountain flower to the north, another two red mountain flowers and three purple mountain flowers to the east, and if you follow the path until you are facing north, another red mountain flower. There is a fallen tree to the south bridging the gap to the island. On the island is an unlocked boss chest, a leveled weapon, a leveled soul gem, a random potion, and a leveled potion of healing. There are two nirnroot as well; one by the chest, and one to the north of it. The path down is to the north; on the bridge are a red mountain flower and a blue mountain flower.

While on the plateau, head to the northeast edge and then look down; you should spot a chest on a ledge with no apparent way to reach it. It can be reached by facing the widest part of the ledge and using the Whirlwind Sprint dragon shout. It can also be reached with some luck by heading to the end of the bridge, facing east, and sprint-jumping off. This can be difficult, as there is a protruding section of the wall to the left, which means you cannot aim along the ledge, and must instead take a few steps towards the middle of the bridge and aim for the smallest edge. If you miss the ledge itself and catch the rocks just below it, you will need to turn back east to jump up. To get down from the ledge, you need to face the plateau and use whirlwind sprint, or jump and hope to hit the path running up the side of it. If you miss the jump, you might still survive the fall to the ground below, but will take heavy damage. 

At the end of the bridge off the plateau, drop down to the west to find another red mountain flower and an adept-locked chest. Go through the bush and hug the wall, then make a steep drop to another ledge (it will hurt, but should not kill you). This ledge has a moonstone ore vein, a lootable skeleton of an unfortunate person, a random helmet, a medium coin purse, and a random war axe. Another red mountain flower and a blue mountain flower can be found here. To leave, jump into the pond, then follow the path back out. 



Notes
Shadowgreen Cavern contains the highest number of red mountain flowers, and is tied for the sixth highest number of purple mountain flowers in the game. It also contains the fourth highest amount of mora tapinella. 
This is a good place for collecting both butterfly wings and blue butterfly wings during the day, and luna moth wings and torchbug thoraxes at night. The cave has eleven spawn points for luna moths and torchbugs, giving it the seventh highest concentration of these sites in the game. 

Bugs