Floro Caverns

The Floro Caverns are a vast cave system which serves as the setting of Chapters 5-3 and 5-4 in Super Paper Mario. It is the home of the Floro Sapiens, who use it to mine gems for their king, who resides in a palace deep in the caves. Mario, Princess Peach and Bowser meet the Pixl named Dottie here.

Chapter 5-3: A Crag in the Dark
Storyline text After repelling O'Chunks, Mario and Co. followed the Floro Sapiens underground...

Was the hideout of the Floro Sapiens just up ahead.

''"Wow, it's dark! And narrow!" "Hey, who just kicked me?!" "Sorry. All me."''

Our heroes followed the long, dark corridor, listening to echoes of their own voices.

As they groped their way along, the light at the end of the tunnel grew brighter...

They had finally arrived at the inner sanctums of the Floro Sapiens...

The Cragnons kidnapped from Downtown of Crag had to be around somewhere... The first area of the level is mostly empty, save for some Hard Blocks and a ? Block containing a Super Shroom. Soon, ther heroes come across a Cragnon named Flint Cragley, who is filming an adventure show in the caverns. After brainstorming several title ideas for the episode, Cragley notices the heroes and asks them what they are underground for. He then explains that his camera crew is lost in the caverns and he needs them to continue. He tells the heroes to keep an eye out.

Down a pipe, there is a room with a locked door, several pipes, and some Buzzy Beetles and Spike Tops. All of the pipes are unusable except the farthest one. Through the pipe is an area full of Buzzy Beetles, Spike Tops, Spanias, Piranha Plants, Putrid Piranhas and Floro Sapiens. There are also many Brick Blocks and ? Blocks. About halfway through the area is a door. Nearby, there is a block with a ladder that leads to a Coin Heaven-like area, which is also a shortcut through some of the area. Through the door is a track which can be ridden in a minecart. At the end of the track is a pipe that leads to a seemingly empty room, revealed to be filled with Floro Cragniens in 3-D. By flipping during the cart ride, though, the player can take a deviating track that leads to a door. Through the door is a room with many Floro Sapiens and Cragniens, as well as a Zombie Shroom. In a small alocove, the heroes find Hornfels, Flint Cragley's boomer, who returns to Flint when the heroes tell him where he is. They then return to the main area of the caverns.

At the end of the room is a Trampoline to clear a tower of blocks and a Yellow Block covering a door. Through the door is another minecart track, this one more elaborate, with many loops and jumps. After the cart ride is an area with some Floro Cragniens. A Zombie Shroom and a Spania card can be found here. Through a path of Hard Blocks, some of which are actually Brick Blocks, as seen in 3-D, the player will reach a crossways, a room with several Floro Cragniens below and an area where Monzo is found above. Monzo is Flint Cragley's cameraman, who also goes back to his boss.

The heroes, too, go back to Flint, who demands a key from his crew. However, they claim that Flint took the key, fearing the crew would lose it. He denies this, but finds the key in his pocket. As he is afraid of what lies ahead, Flint gives the heroes the key, allowing them to unlock the door seen before. Beyond the door is another cart ride, followed by an enemy infested area with a Mega Star. The final door is hidden behind a Yellow Block and leads to the Star Block.

Enemies

 * Buzzy Beetle
 * Floro Cragnien (returns to the Land of the Cragnons after obtaining the indigo Pure Heart)
 * Floro Sapien
 * Piranha Plant
 * Putrid Piranha
 * Spania
 * Spike Top

Chapter 5-4: The Menace of King Croacus
Storyline text "You want REAL danger?! How about my duel with the foul Rainbowzilla?!"

As the heroes descended into the Floro Caverns, Flint Cragley entertained them all.

"Boss. BOSS! Cragnons heard that story 255 times, brah... You making my crag hurt.

"Brah, if you count time we weren't tied up, then it 256 times.

Mario and Co. glanced over at the weary faces of Flint's crew as they delved deeper.

''But a light grew... Was it a ray of hope from the Pure Heart, or an evil illusion?'' Mario and friends continue on and eventually have the Pixl Dottie join their group. They fight O'Chunks soon after, under the control of the Floro Sprout on his head. Once O' Chunks retreats, Mario and co. obtain the sprout and pass some Floro Sapien security systems that only let things with Floro sprouts on there heads, and maybe Floro Sapiens, eventually making it to the lair of King Croacus IV. The king is soon defeated and Mario and co. discover that the Floro Sapiens were enslaving the Cragnons because they were polluting the Sapiens' water. The two sides make a compromise and Mario and friends are awarded with the Pure Heart.

Storyline text "Men of true grit witness live what others can only see through crag-vision."

"That is what moves me to travel into the belly of the beast week after week."

"Thanks again for watching, and until the next time... CRAAAAAAAAAGLEY HO!"

Having wrapped up their latest shoot, Flint and crew went back to Downtown of Crag.

Mario and friends clutched the sixth Pure Heart as they walked back toward Flipside.

Our heroes had taken a new step toward overturning the prophecy of destruction...

Enemies

 * Blomeba
 * Cursya
 * Floro Cragnien
 * Floro Sapien
 * Heavy Cursya
 * King Croacus IV (Chapter 5 Boss)
 * O'Cabbage (boss)
 * Reversya Cursya
 * Spania

Trivia

 * Some parts of the place resemble X-Naut Fortress.
 * The main area of Chapter 5-3 resembles World 2-1 of Super Mario Bros.

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