Floro Caverns

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 apparently 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, Peach and Bowser meet the Pixl named Dottie here. The cave also contains a processing center which is used to brainwash Cragnons until King Croacus IV is defeated.

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... After chasing the Floro Sapiens in the Gap of Crag, Mario and co. discover the Floro Caverns, which they explore until they meet Flint Cragley, who claims that he wants to explore the caverns along with Mario and co. and that one of his crewmen has the key to progress further in the caves. Flint claims to have lost the crewmen in the caverns, and Mario and his party eventually find them and in a humorous instance discovers that Cragley had the key all along. The group continues on to the next level.

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.

🇵🇲