Madain Sari

Madain Sari (マダイン・サリ, Madain Sari) is a location in the north of the Outer Continent in Final Fantasy IX. A village, where a Summoner tribe lived, was situated here, before it was destroyed by Garland.

Princess Garnet and Eiko are both Summoners who were born in Madain Sari. Garnet's real mother took her away when the village was destroyed. Eiko lived here alone with her Moogles, her only friends after her grandfather passed away, for a long time.

In the game it is stated that the people of Madain Sari used Summon Magic to study the planet, and they theorized that the Eidolons were the guardians of the planet. The theory goes that Eidolons were manifested from the collected belief in myths and legends. The "Eidolon wall", with many engravings of Eidolons on the walls, survived the attack on the village.

After Conde Petie
The party arrives in Madain Sari after passing through Conde Petie and the Conde Petie Mountain Path. Here, Eiko reveals that this is the village of a summoner tribe, and that she's the survivor of her tribe. Zidane is curious about the Eidolons, and decides to stay awhile when Eiko invites them for dinner.

While waiting for Eiko, Zidane, and Quina if s/he is in the party, explore the area. Vivi and Garnet were lost in their thoughts and decides to stay put. Morrison the Moogle, at Eiko's request, takes Zidane to the Eidolon Wall, a mural of Eidolon paintings made by the summoners during their summon magic research. Dagger, who Zidane had asked to tag along, was struck in fear of the things she had lost. Nevertheless, she decides to look at the murals for the time being.

Meanwhile, Eiko was busy preparing a meal of rock-fisted potato stew and barbecued fish. She decides to divide the task of fishing, digging for potatoes and helping her in the kitchen between the three moogles Mocha, Momatose and Chimomo. While fishing, the moogle catches Quina, who had bit on the bait instead. Quina eventually offers to help Eiko with her cooking.

With the dishes ready, the party eats and talks about Madain Sari and the summoner tribe. Eiko attempts to get Zidane to like her, however, Zidane is oblivious to this fact. After the meal, the party rests for the night. Seeing that Vivi is troubled with his thoughts, Zidane consoles him and they "engage in an age-old ritual between male friends".

The next day, the party prepares to leave for the Iifa Tree, wishing to return to Madain Sari once the journey ends. Eiko reveals that the Iifa Tree is sealed from entry with an eidolon, and only a summoner can break it. She had planned to follow Zidane, and this was the perfect opportunity.

After Iifa Tree
Once the party clears the Mist, Moco arrived to alert Eiko of a precious jewel stolen from Madain Sari. The party follows Eiko and discovers that the bounty hunter Lani had entered the village and took the stone. Queen Brahne demands for Garnet's jewel to summon Eidolons, and Lani had found another like it. Eiko attempts to take it back but was instead put to sleep.

Zidane attempts to save Eiko, but just then another bounty hunter Red defeated her and forces her to leave the jewels. Red then challenges Zidane to a duel, because Zidane had outwitted him before when he was a guard in Treno. Zidane defeats Red but spared his life, inviting him to help in their quest instead. Red reintroduces himself as the Flaming Amarant.

Eiko, with the events that had transpired in Madain Sari, resolves to follow the party, breaking her promise to her grandfather not to leave the village before her sixteenth birthday. Meanwhile, Garnet was singing her song when the another song broke in and memories of Madain Sari flashed in her eyes. As it were, Garnet began to recover memories of her life in Madain Sari, and decides to continue the heritage of the summoner tribe along with Eiko. The party continues their quest towards Iifa Tree to find Kuja.

Garnet's true name
Princess Garnet's true name is engraved on the Eidolon Wall at Madain Sari. There is a very complicated way to reveal the truth at the beginning of Disc 4.

First, form a party with Dagger and visit Lani who is standing on Eiko's back porch. Upon arriving Lani will run away. Exit the village and return with anyone except Dagger or Amarant and talk to Lani twice. Read the message and go to the Eidolon Wall. Walk clockwise from the entrance (heading to the right) until you return to the entrance. Move just past the "!" until you hear a chime. Then walk counterclockwise back to the entrance, just past the "!" again. Repeat this nine times, going back and forth. Make sure you hear a chime each time. On the ninth round, your HP/MP will be recovered and all status abnormalities removed.

Now read the paintings. You can read them in any order, as long as you read them all. A whole slew of extra messages appear this time. At the end, return to the Ifrit drawing and look for an extra message, revealing Dagger's true name, Sarah.

Etymology
There is a location with an almost similar name; Madain Saleh, an ancient city located in Arabia.

Madain Sari