Gizamaluke's Grotto

Template:Sideicon

Gizamaluke's Grotto is a location in Final Fantasy IX situated on the Mist Continent on Gaia. It is the only way to travel between Lindblum and Burmecia on foot.

Gizamaluke's Grotto is named after the large aquatic creature, Gizamaluke, which inhabits the grotto and which is referred to as Master Gizamaluke by Burmecians. The grotto must be navigated using a system of bells, which operate as keys. A route in Gizamaluke's Grotto leads to a mountain cliff area, which should be avoided during the first visit, as the Grand Dragons on the cliff are difficult to defeat due to their high level.

Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)

Learning Burmecia is under attack, Zidane, Freya, Vivi, and optionally Quina, pass through the grotto. On the way, they encounter wounded Burmecian soldiers and many black mages that are hunting them down being commanded by Zorn and Thorn. After defeating Gizamaluke, and passing through the cave system, the party emerges in the otherwise inaccessible northwestern portion of the Mist Continent home to both Burmecia and its sister civilization Cleyra.

Spoilers end here.

Locations

Entrance

At the entrance Freya rushes to check on the injured Burmecian soldiers that have been injured by black mages.

Cavern

The enemies at the entrance aren't difficult. The party must fight a few black mages upon entering, one dropping a bell to enter one of the three doors. Entering the top left door take to the overpass the party walked under when entering the room. After entering the top left door, the bottom corner will have a hidden chest containing a Bronze Vest. Talking to the downed guard earns a second bell. The bottom right or center door takes the party to the bell room.

Bell Room

The party meets a moogle named Mogmi who will explain her husband is trapped under the bell and needs the Kupo Nut to get out. After the scene there will be a chest under the bell containing another bell.

Going down the stairs on the bottom and underneath another overpass finds the Magus Hat. One might want to equip it on Vivi as it teaches the Slow ability.

There a two doors in the bell room. The right door leads to the moogle couple where the party can save and read a Mognet letter and climb the vines on the back wall to exit to the world map. This area is a dead end with strong monsters.

Leaving the couple's room, the husband will give the Holy Bell that can be used on the left door in the bell room to take the party to the Sacred Room.

Sacred Room

There is a downed soldier here and the boss fight with Master Gizamaluke.

Quests

Mognet

Template:See Also When the party meets Mogmi in Gizamaluke's Grotto, she has received a letter:

It Was So Exciting!

From Moodon to Mogmi

This year's Festival of the Hunt
Was sooo exciting! Kupo!
The highest score was [#]* points!
[Insert Name]* won the title!

Last year's winner, Belna,
only got [#]* points!
Oh, it was so much fun!!!

* The winner can either be Zidane, Vivi, or Freya depending upon how well or badly the player does in the Festival of the Hunt. The points the winner won by are also based upon the player's actions and Belna's score is always 2/3 times it.

Moguta and Kupo Nuts

Gizamalukes grotto moogle room — Moguta expressing his love for Kupo Nuts.

Within Gizamaluke's Grotto resides the moogle Moguta, who after being rescued from beneath a large bell, will reward the party for giving him Kupo Nuts obtained by delivering letters. The party receives an Elixir for the first Kupo Nut given after the Battle of Lindblum.

The party receives an Extension for the first Kupo Nut delivered after the party has returned from the Outer Continent, and an Aloha Shirt for the first Kupo Nut delivered after the party has the Invincible. Any other Kupo Nuts delivered will earn the party items such as a Tent, an Ether, or a Phoenix Pinion. If the party visits the moogles in the grotto after the events in Burmecia, there is a little moogle child walking around the room. After the party returns from the Outer Continent, a second child will have been born, and a third child will be born after the party returns from Terra.

Level grinding Spot

Above-Gizamalukes-Grotto — Above Gizamaluke's Grotto.

Template:See Also By climbing up the vine in Moguta's room, the player can get to the world map and find Grand Dragons on the field and Garuda in the forests. These are much higher level enemies than the player can encounter the time the party visits Gizamaluke's Grotto but they yield good EXP and gil. The player can come to this spot later with an airship or flying Choco without having to go through Gizamaluke's Grotto.

The enemies are difficult, but with a supply of Phoenix Downs and persistence there is a chance to defeat an enemy at this time. Equipping the Coral Ring, prize for letting Freya win the Festival of the Hunt, makes one party member absorb the Grand Dragon's Thundaga. Antibody immunizes to Poison and Venom, making the dragon's only powerful attack its claw.