Gizamaluke's Grotto

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 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.
The party is intended to head to Gizamaluke's Grotto after they leave Lindblum on foot, although they can take a detour to Qu's Marsh and Chocobo's Forest first. After the party enters Gizamaluke's Grotto, most of Lindblum is no longer accessible, as the Lindblum Castle trolley becomes unavailable.
== Story ==
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.
== Locations ==
=== Entrance ===
At the entrance, Freya rushes to check on the injured Burmecian soldiers that have been injured by black mages. One of them gives the party a bell before passing away, enabling them to proceed further into the grotto. If that soldier's body is searched after the party has won the first black mage fight in the following room, the party will obtain another bell. This is especially important, as it allows the player to have enough bells so as not to get stuck in the grotto should they try to open all doors.
=== Cavern ===
Upon entering the cavern, the party is forced into a fight with two black mages, with another two awaiting them in the middle of the room, who will drop a bell upon defeat. This bell can be used to open one of three doors. The top left door takes the party to the overpass they walked under when entering the room. The bottom left corder of this upper path has a hidden Bronze Vest. Talking to the downed guard earns a second bell. Both the center and bottom right doors take the party to the bell room.
=== Bell Room ===
The party meets a moogle named Mogmi, who will explain that 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 earns the Magus Hat . The player might want to equip it on Vivi as it teaches the Slow ability. Near the top of the screen, there is also a pair of Mythril Gloves along the stairs .
There are two doors in the bell room. The door on the right leads to the moogle couple, where the party can save and read a Mognet letter, as well as 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 ===
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 ===
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, Ore, or a Phoenix Pinion. Getting the Elixir and Extension contributes towards Treasure Hunter Rank.
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 ===
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.
=== Blu Mag ===
Quina can eat Hornet to learn Vanish, Lamia to learn LV3 Def-less and Skeleton to learn Pumpkin Head. The easy way to eat a Skeleton is to use a Phoenix Down on it first.
== Items ==
* Gizamaluke Bell x5
* Holy Bell
* Bronze Vest (take top left door in second area)
* Mythril Gloves (Bell Room ()
* Magus Hat (Bell Room )
* Elixir (Give Moguta a Kupo Nut on disc 2)
* Extension (Give Moguta a Kupo Nut on disc 3)
* Aloha T-Shirt (Give Moguta a Kupo Nut on disc 4)
* Phoenix Pinion (Random prize from Moguta)
* Tent (Random prize from Moguta)
* Ore (Random prize from Moguta)
== Enemies ==
===Grotto===
* Hornet
* Lamia
* Skeleton
* Black Mage (Type A)
* Gizamaluke (boss)
Screen 	Encounter Rate	
{| class="innerborder" style="width:100%;font-size:90%;text-align:center"
Enemies	Frequency 	AP
===Popos Heights===
		 	 	
	
{| class="innerborder" style="width:100%;font-size:90%;text-align:center"	Enemies	Frequency	AP
==Other appearances==
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
In Lindblum, Zidane is reunited with his old friend Freya, and learns that her homeland, Burmecia, is under attack by an army of black mages.
==Musical themes==
"Freya's Theme" is used as the background music for Gizamaluke's Grotto.
==Gallery==
FFIX Gizamaluke's Grotto WM.png|Gizamaluke's Grotto on the world map.
Gizamaluke's Grotto.jpg|Gizamaluke's Grotto entrance.
Black mages gizamalukes grotto.png|Black mages in the grotto.
Gizamaluke's grotto2.png|Inside the grotto.
Gizamaluke'sGrottoEvent1.png|Map for event.
Gizamalukes bell.png|Gizamaluke Bell.
Gizamaluke's grotto concept.png|Concept art of the entrance.
GizamalukeBell.png|Gizamaluke Bell artwork.
HolyBell.png|Holy Bell artwork.
GizamalukeGrotto2-ffix-battlebg.png|A battle background in Gizamaluke's Grotto, when fighting Gizamaluke.
FFRK Gizamaluk's Grotto JP FFIX.png|Japanese image for Gizamaluk's Grotto in Final Fantasy Record Keeper.
de:Gizarmalukes Grotte
es:Gruta de Gizamaluke
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy IX
Category:Caves