Keelhaul Key

Keelhaul Key
First appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004)
Latest appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024)
Greater location	Rogueport's surrounding areas
Inhabitants	Embers, Green Fuzzies, Flower Fuzzies, Putrid Piranhas

Keelhaul Key is the main area in which Chapter 5 of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door takes place. Similar to Lavalava Island from Paper Mario, Keelhaul is a southern island disconnected from all kind of society of the outside world. During the events of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Mario learns that the next location of a Crystal Star is in the southern island of Keelhaul Key. Mario will soon find himself captain of a whole crew, which consists of Flavio, Pa-Patch, Four-Eyes (Lord Crump in disguise), two Toads and some Bob-ombs. While on the trip to Keelhaul Key, the ship, the S.S. Flavion, is attacked by Embers and finally sinks.

Luckily for Mario, the ocean washes the whole crew up to Keelhaul Key itself. With no way back to Rogueport, Mario will now have to face the dangers of the jungle in order to save his lost crew mates and find a way into Pirate's Grotto, in which the Sapphire Star lies. With the help of Flavio's Skull Gem, Mario makes it inside. At the end of Chapter 5, Mario faces off against Lord Crump in his ship at the shore of Keelhaul Key. After completing the Chapter, the player may return to the southern island on Cortez's Ship, Black Skull, whenever they want. Cortez's Ship will be in Rogueport at all times. There is also a pipe in Rogueport Underground which Mario can take to Keelhaul Key.

Keelhaul Key is the only place in which Mario can find Keel Mangos, used for a variety of recipes. Additionally, in Keelhaul Key, Mario's last required party member, Admiral Bobbery, joins him. Mario can also find several badges and items on the island. After the island goes back to normal activity, Pa-Patch, the two Toads who run the shop and inn, and a few of the Bob-ombs will stay on Keelhaul Key and run a settlement. Don Pianta's daughter, Francesca, and his son-in-law, Frankie, also decide to stay in Keelhaul Key. Creatures in Keelhaul Key include Embers, Flower Fuzzies, Green Fuzzies and Putrid Piranhas.

Inhabitants

The island consists mostly of Toad and Bob-omb sailors, many who came from Rogueport.

Main Story

• Cortez
• Pa-Patch
• Francesca
• Frankie
• Thriff T.
• Whacka
• Dupree (after Chapter 8)
• Traveling Sisters Three (after Chapter 8)
• Battle Master
• Shipwrecked Toads
• An orange female Toad who runs the inn.

During Chapter 5

• Flavio
• Admiral Bobbery
• Four-Eyes (Lord Crump in disguise)

Enemies

For enemy formations in Keelhaul Key, see here.

• Putrid Piranha
• Green Fuzzy
• Flower Fuzzy
• Lord Crump (Post-Chapter 5 Boss)

Items

Additional items are on sale at the Keelhaul Galleria, an item shop located in the shantytown.

Item	Location
Chuckola Cola	In the town; given by Flavio in Chapter 5.
Coconut	In the third scene to the right of the town; on the coconut tree in the background. Replenishable source.
Courage Shell	In the first scene to the right of the town; in the yellow question block on the south side ground.
Head Rattle	In the first scene to the right of the town; in the red question block.
Ice Power	In the third scene to the right of the town; below the right end of the bridge.
Inn Coupon	In the third scene to the right of the town; behind a bush near the entrance.
Jammin' Jelly	In the second scene to the right of the town; in an invisible block in front of the question block on the mountain.
Keel Mango	In the first scene to the right of the town; on the fruit tree in the left after Chapter 5 (Replenishable source). In the Nintendo Switch remake, it is always available.
Mini Mr. Mini	In the second scene to the right of the town; in a bush in the south side.
Shine Sprite	In the second scene to the right of the town; above a brick to the left of the left cliff of the high mountain.
	In the third scene to the right of the town; covered by the leaves of the tree near the right exit.
Skull Gem	Given to Mario temporarily in Chapter 5.
Spite Pouch	In the fourth scene to the right of the town; in the last bush before the water.
Star Piece (×6)	In the beach scene to the left of the town; under a panel by a rock in the east.
	In the town scene; in the left corner of the water to the south of the town.
	In the town scene; behind the rocks near the right exit.
	In the first scene to the right of the town; in the first clump of grass.
	In the second scene to the right of the town; behind the tree trunk on the ground in the south area.
	In the fourth scene to the right of the town; behind the rock in the south of where the water starts.
Thunder Rage	In the second scene to the right of the town; in the question block on the high mountain.
Wedding Ring	In the fourth scene to the right of the town; near the cave after Francesca lost it.
Whacka Bump (×8)	In the beach scene to the left of the town; dropped by Whacka when hit.

Hidden ? Blocks

Main article: List of hidden blocks in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Item	Description	Image	Image (block revealed)
Coin Block containing 10 coins.	In the fourth area is a ? Block on the ground. Jumping at the block outline above it will reveal the hidden ? Block.
Jammin' Jelly	In the same area, is another ? block containing a Thunder Rage at the top of the area. Slightly south of this block is the hidden one. To hit it, Mario must walk to the edge and spin his Hammer to reveal it. Alternatively, he can use Bobbery to reveal it. Another option is for Mario to get to the center yellow block and using the Spring Jump from the Ultra Boots to spring straight up to reveal the hidden ? Block. In the Nintendo Switch remake, a fourth option is to use the hammer facing the screen at this spot. The location of this block is mentioned in Wonky's Tales, "Southern Isle Secret".

Profiles

Click an area to open the relevant article.

• Tattles
  • "This is Keelhaul Key. The sun's brutal, as you'd expect on a southern isle. Blue skies... White clouds... I've always wanted to take an island vacation. Don't you just wanna yell, "Hey, stupid ocean! Look at me! I'm on vacation!""
  • "This is a shantytown built by Pa-Patch and some of the other sailors who came with us. Blue ocean, sandy beaches... A shop, an inn... You could live pretty comfily here. You'd always have to worry about harmful UV rays, though, y'know?"
  • "This is a totally thick jungle. The flora in this area is unique to tropical regions."
  • "We're in the jungle on Keelhaul Key. It's complex... Switchback paths and stuff... I think there's an invisible block here somewhere, so why don't you look for it?" (GCN)
    • "We're in the jungle on Keelhaul Key. It's complex... Switchback paths and stuff... Let's keep our eyes open as we explore this place! You never know what might pop out..." (Switch)
  • "Wow, nice rope bridge, huh? I don't think I'll be looking down while we cross, though. Being able to see the water through the slats makes my belly go bleeeeeeeeah! Whoa. Hang on. I'm a little woozy. I might faint..."
  • "Here are the red 'stache and blue 'stache brothers (GCN) / statues (Switch). Hey, kinda like you and Luigi! The smaller one's like you, and the taller one's like Luigi. Are they...looking at us?"
• Map description: A tropical island in the southern seas said to be deserted and cursed. The far side of it is covered in a jungle filled with many brightly colored creatures.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	トロピコアイランド Toropiko Airando	Tropic Island
Chinese (simplified)	热带小岛 Rèdài Xiǎodǎo	Tropical Island
Chinese (traditional)	熱帶小島 Rèdài Xiǎodǎo	Tropical Island
Dutch	Kaap Kielhaal	Keelhaul Cape
French	Île Tropatroce	Too atrocious Island
German	Isla Corsaria	Derived from Korsar ("Barbary corsair")
Italian	Isola Tropico	Tropic Island
Korean	남국 아일랜드 Namguk Aillaendeu	Southern Country Island
Spanish	Isla Trópico	Tropic Island

Trivia

• The adventure Mario has on Keelhaul Key is very similar to the one he has on Lavalava Island in the first Paper Mario. Both are for the fifth collectible (Star Spirits and Crystal Stars, respectively), and both are underground on a tropical isle. In both, Mario goes with a famous explorer on a treasure hunt, and Lava Bubbles, Buzzies, Fuzzies, and Putrid Piranhas are also present in both. Both places can be later accessed by pipe in the sewers. The player also gains the ability to swim on both, by using Sushie on Lavalava Isle, and Boat Mode in the Pirate's Grotto. Both end successfully, as Kolorado gets his Volcano Vase treasure and Flavio remarks in his diary that he got whatever the player used to convince him to sail them to Keelhaul Key (romance, thrills, or emotion).
• Keelhaul Key is mentioned in Animal Crossing: New Horizons by Captain Gullivarrr, in dialogue added to the July 3, 2020 update. If the player finds Gullivarrr, he may say, "Folks be fearin' me buccaneerin' from Crocodile Isle to Keelhaul Key..."