Hey Ategig,
Both of those changes increased the GI contribution of the light, leading to lighter shadows. I also tried creating a bit more of an environment around the rock, to actually give the light something to bounce from, and that had a great impact on the shadows as well. There are still a few dark splotches that show up here and there – I think you’re right that the UVs are responsible – but they are generally small, and probably (hopefully) won’t be noticed once I add some dappled light shadows from foliage.
Thanks a lot for your help, and for responding so quickly!