Matia Mine

"It's so beautiful... When looking at these walls, I feel so enamored by them."

―Snow

Matia Mine
Japanese	マティア鉱山
Rōmaji	Matia Kōzan
Ruler	Garnish
Located In	Caldea (Caldea Island)
Nearby Regions	Iffy's Hermitage

Matia Mine (マティア鉱山, Matia Kōzan) is a unique location in Caldea. Located on the northwestern end of Caldea Island, it is overseen by its manager, Garnish.

Toponymy and Origin

The word "matia" comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root as Latin mateola, possibly via Frankish *mattjō (“cutting tool, hoe, chisel”) (compare Old High German mezzo (“stone cutter, mason”) ( > Medieval Latin maciō (“stone cutter, mason”)).

There is an island in the San Juan Islands named 'Matia Island' by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1792 as Isla de Mata, which can be translated into English as "island of no protection".

Overview

Matia Mine is known for its abundance of gemstones called Matia Jewels, which store magic and emit light when infused with it. They are used when engraving ÄRMs and talismans, thus the mine itself is important to chasers. The mine itself is seen by many to be very beautiful, as the walls are covered by these gems and glow a lovely pinkish purple color.

History

MÄR Heaven: Devil of Caldea

When the Earth Jugglers pierced the ground, a quake occurred throughout the Caldea Islands and a cave-in accident occurred in the Matia Mine. Due to the incident having happened late at night, no one was injured.

AKT.2 Matia Mine

Garnish reveals her true intentions.

After Garnish meets Team MÄR at the campsite of the Caldea Island Investigation Team, she leads them back to Matia Mine near Iffy's Hermitage and journey down several floors. The main room Garnish needs access to is sealed off and requires activating the two lock mechanisms on either side of the door with the power of a lightning Nature ÄRM. With Nanashi's help, the doors are unlocked and the two continue flirting with each other.

Once inside, Garnish opens a treasure box and gleefully dances around with its contents that she looted. As Dorothy realizes her true identity, Garnish unveils her true intentions to eliminate MÄR, with the mine being their graves. Hurt by her deception, Nanashi and his teammates battle Garnish, and eventually defeat her. Garnish makes light of her defeat, but Dorothy remains agitated, and yells at Garnesso to come back after the former warps away. Ginta and Nanashi ask who "Garnesso" is, and Dorothy explains that Garnish is actually an old, lecherous, queer man. Nanashi falls to the ground in shock and horror, while his teammates casually poke fun at his expense as they leave the mine.

AKT.9 Caldea Palace

Epilogue

After the conflict regarding Gotchi and the Earth Jugglers was ended by Team MÄR, Garnish can be seen in Matia Mine with a couple of her employees, whom she orders to collect rarer ÄRMs, as she desires to be as beautiful and destructive as Dorothy.

Strategy Guide

Matia Mine serves as the game's first proper dungeon, and is an electrically charged cave network that is advantageous to a lightning manipulator like Nanashi. Therefore, it is a perfect opportunity to set him as the party lead throughout the trek in the mine, as his power boost will enable him to climb levels very quickly.

The gatekeepers in the first room of the mine will not let you pass through until you bring Garnish along with you. The objective of clearing the dungeon is to help Garnish enter into a closed off room in the second basement (B2), where she is trying to retrieve an ÄRM. There is some degree of backtracking, as two passages are blocked off by large boulders and access to the last room is disabled due to cut wires. The only way to remove both boulders is by using a single Pop'n Bomb, an item that can be purchased from the item shop in Caldea Town. If you have any in your inventory when starting the dungeon, you can immediately go to the first blocked off room on the 1st floor (1F) to use it, which will in turn allow you to remove the boulder in the first basement (B1) without need of another and cut down on the amount of backtracking.

The silver plate, just above and slightly to the left of Garnish's hat.

Beyond this room on 1F is a storage room of miscellaneous items including a silver plate, which you won't be able to pick up until prompted by the game after reaching the doorway with switches on B2. Thus, backtracking will be required for obtaining the silver plate needed to close the circuit in B2 and gain access.

After defeating Garnish, a cutscene will ensue and you will automatically exit the dungeon. However, you can revisit Matia Mine any time in case any items were missed on the first trip. One particular item, a Melt Ice★5 ÄRM can only be acquired after defeating Garnish. By revisiting the room where you fought her in, you will find a miniature Golem standing in place of where she once stood. If you speak to it with a lead character that has fought 573 times, you will receive the ÄRM.

Gallery

An unofficial English translation from the game's guidebook.

An unofficial English translation from the game's guidebook.

An unofficial English translation from the game's guidebook.

An unofficial English translation from the game's guidebook.

Garnish instructs her employees to allow MÄR into the mine.

Nanashi using his lightning to set off a Pop'n Bomb on the boulder (1F).

Alan uses Air Hammer to blow away another boulder (B1F).

Arriving at the door to the room Garnish wants access to.

Garnish reveals her true intentions.