So I've only done Danica's quest once, where she wants you to take a cursed blade to hack at the Eldergleam's roots for its sap to save the Gildergleam. I did the quest once thinking it wouldn't hurt the Elder much and it'd repair the Gildergleam. I'm really trying to wrap my head around this quest. We have Danica, who is allegedly a priest of Kyne, and she wants you to use a sword that is for all intents and purposes naturebane, and she wants you to cut the holiest of trees in Skyrim. Is doing it wrong? Is Danica evil or corrupt? Uncaring? Or am I reading entirely too much into this?

Help me out, guys.

I don't see her being evil as much as having blinders on, unable to consider other possibilities. I assume you know there is an alternative way to complete that quest that doesn't result in the Eldergleam being destroyed.

Is it actually destroyed?

I don't know, but nature seems pissed.

I doubt Purespring has any ill-intent for the Eldergleam. Like GC said, she probably just isn't thinking things through entirely.

It is interesting to consider whether or not the Nettlebane actually will have long term negative effects on the tree. Part of me doubts it, because you'd think the Hagravens would have tried to poison the tree with the blade a long time ago if it could. Still an interesting thing to wonder about.

I took a peek at the wiki page when the question about harming the Eldergleam came up. It didn't say anything about long term effects to the tree. It sure doesn't make Kynareth very happy when you take the sap, though.

I guess it's bad in a way, but I wouldn't care too much. It's just a tree after all. But if you want a more peaceful solution to the quest, there is a priest in the Temple of Kynareth that will come along with you when you go to the Sanctuary. He will implore you to let him pray to the tree for a sapling.

I guess I missed that. Does the sappling actually grow into a tree? I rather hate vidya game quests where you do a better option and "OH I SWEAR IT GETS BETTER AFTER THE GAME" IE: FO3 and that tree mutant.

It does grow into a tree, but the way it does is terribly glitched; it grows inside the dead Gildergreen.

If you're playing on the PC, the unofficial patch fixes this. On consoles, you're stuck with the sapling growing inside the dead Gildergreen.