FrobozzCo International

FrobozzCo (aka the Frobozz Magic Company and Frobozz International) is a vast international conglomerate made up of thousands upon thousands of companies that operated all across the world of Zork and beyond, a company so massive in size and a producer of so many products, that their slogan is "You name it, WE do it!", producing everything from aardvarks to zwiebacks, heck even time machines!

History[]

The Founding[]

FrobozzCo has a long and convoluted history that dating all the way back to the days of King Duncanthrax the Bellicose, the first king of the Flathead Dynasty, with the company tracing its origins all the way back to the founding of the Frobozz Magic Construction Company and Frobozz Magic Cave Company. Several accounts claimed that either the King himself or that his sinister magician Drespo Molmocker (while posing as the King) were the founders of FrobozzCo in 668 GUE, in order to enlarge the underground caverns of the Eastlands, while another account claims that the company was actually founded by the philanthropic J.B. Frobozz for the sake of supplying good magical aids.

It is possible that J.B. Frobozz himself may have originally established the first incarnation of FrobozzCo International in that same year for the sake of managing the burgeoning subsidiaries that were slowly forming, such as the Frobozz Magic Dirt Disposal Company, and the Frobozz Magic Underground Sewer Installation Company.

Whatever the truth is, a King Duncanthrax (the real one or the imposter) did certainly hold control over the company during his reign (presumably after acquiring it from J.B. Frobozz) serving as its first true president, helping the company to grow to mammoth size by manipulating the greatest wizards in the world into forming a massive underground highway, an event known as the Great Labor, which would help the Frobozz Magic Company establish its first three subsidiaries, the Frobozz Cave Company, the Frobozz Dirt Removal Company and the Frobozz Sewer Company, all dedicated to the management of the massive underground highway which would help launch Frobozz to new heights (or lows in this case).

The Rise of John D. Flathead[]

“Increasing the scope of our industrial empire, FrobozzCo now produces everything from aardvarks to zwieback.”

―President J.D. Flathead in 779 GUE

Captain of Industry of FrobozzCo, John D. Flathead — The Captain of Industry of FrobozzCo, **John D. Flathead I**, whose descendants would continue to run FrobozzCo under their ambitious forefather's name for centuries to come

By 743 GUE, FrobozzCo had grown significantly and now owned more than 17,000 subsidiaries. Around this time, the young entrepreneur John D. Flathead of the Twelve Flatheads came to prominence when he graduated from the Borphee Business School with high ambitions.

J.D. Flathead was a marvelous industrial genius who founded Flathead Industries, a corporation created for the sole purpose of creating and purchasing smaller companies that it would then sell off to FrobozzCo in the hopes that Frobozz would grow large enough to control the entire economy of Zork and every business in the world. Within three years, Flathead Industries had an annual income of 80 million zorkmids and Frobozz became so large that it needed around 39,000 vice-presidents just to manage all of its subsidiaries. It was around this time that FrobozzCo decided to skip the middleman and just purchase Flathead Industries outright, renaming it the Frobozz Magic Company... Company.

In the flat year of 789 GUE, John D. Flathead's aspirations came true when he officially joined FrobozzCo's board of 39,000 vice-presidents and in no time at all rose to become the ruling Chairman and Captain of Industry of FrobozzCo, the largest conglomerate in the world. Meanwhile two of his eleven brothers also went on to hold high positions of power for the company, with brother Alva Flathead becoming the premier brilliant inventor of FrobozzCo, and brother J.P. Flathead becoming the president of the Bank of Zork and FrobozzCo's personal banker, positions which would continue to be held by their descendants.

FrobozzCo's Glory & King Dimwit's Folly[]

King Dimwit Flathead, one of the Twelve Flathead brothers, also decided to take a part in FrobozzCo's growth by raising taxes to ridiculous heights in order to fund countless ridiculous celebrations and events, which naturally led to FrobozzCo itself receiving every contract for King Dimwit's incredible projects and subsequently required Frobozz to create even more subsidiaries to meet all of King Dimwit's ridiculously excessive needs, with Dimwit coming to be known as King Dimwit the Excessive, while FrobozzCo ended up creating almost 100 new subsidiaries every day.

In 778 GUE, 18,000 new additional companies were formed or taken over and now FrobozzCo proclaimed that it produced everything from aardvarks to zwiebacks! The subsidiaries and their products would eventually range to not just magic goods, but even books, sweets, flashlights, magazines, amusement parks, clothing, magic carpets, boats, robotics and even clown noses!

John D. Flathead's longtime goal since graduation was for FrobozzCo to control every single zorkmid of commerce in the Great Underground Empire. This was realized in 789 GUE when the lone holdout, a small rutabaga farm in Mithicus, finally sold out to FrobozzCo, bringing J.D. Flathead's ambitious dreams to fruition.

This financial explosion led to the construction by the Magic Cave Company of a huge 400-story FrobozzCo HQ building in Flatheadia in 781 GUE. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Flathead and was easily the tallest, most impressive building in all of Quendor.

The Curse of Megaboz[]

Sadly, the good times would not last for FrobozzCo, for in 883 GUE, King Dimwit inadvertently angered the powerful wizard Megaboz the Magnificent, who cursed Dimwit, his eleven siblings and the kingdom of Flatheadia to death, declaring that no man or king crosses Megaboz the Magnificent. The First Dungeon Master indirectly caused the destruction of the Flatheadia headquarters and was rewarded by Megaboz with a controlling share of FrobozzCo's stock. All of the Twelve Flathead siblings then died simultaneously.

Despite this puzzling political situation FrobozzCo thrived right up through the end of the Age of Magic, and though the Twelve Flatheads and their kingdom perished, their descendants would continue to live on and help Frobozz grow, with generations up to that of John D. Flathead IX and his cousins' continuing to pass the torches on to their identically named sons. Eventually, the company would also fall under the indirect supervision of the Implementors.

The company made a killing in the fall of 966 GUE by issuing a Special Crisis Edition of their Magic Catalog to convince people that even at a time when magic was failing, FrobozzCo wouldn't fail them. In this catalog they proclaimed the official FrobozzCo business philosophy: "Sell good magical aids at a reasonable profit, treat your customers like super enchanters, and they'll always come back for more."

The Inquisition & Queen Lucy's Ascension[]

Yannick5a — Mir Yannick, whose reign would see a ban on magic and the rebranding of the Frobozz Magic Company to the Frobozz Electric Company.

The company would fall on troubled times once again during the reign of the tyrannical and magic-hating Grand Inquisitor Mir Yannick, which lasted from 1047 to 1067 GUE. Yannick had taken control of Frobozz in a hostile take over, becoming its new COI and rebranding the corporation into Frobozz Electric Company which produced magic-less gadgets and appliances of poor and dubious quality.

Thankfully his reign was put to an end with the crowning of Queen Lucy Flathead who lifted the ban on magic, allowing FrobozzCo to once again make a grand comeback with all sorts of new and better magical goods than ever before, with Frobozz and Zork becoming more prosperous every day.

The Fall of Frobozz[]

Frobozzco representative — A still active representative of FrobozzCo's Wizard Escape Potion Company.

Just as before, this joy too would not last, as centuries later the Implementor in charge of overseeing FrobozzCo disappeared as part of an ancient prophecy which also saw the rise of monsters as magic grew.

This led to the Council of Wizards to officially ban all magical products, including dissolving FrobozzCo for the sake of the world and putting an end to the evil monster invasion, seemingly putting an end to FrobozzCo once and for all.

However their products would continue to live on as magic relics scattered throughout the ruins, caves and dungeons of the world, and many of FrobozzCo's stores were still in operation (albeit in a somewhat malfunctioning state) thanks to the efforts of FrobozzCo's line of customer service robots (although some have become quite hostile with age), and many of their more mystical services remained active and fully staffed, mainly those run by gnomes, nymphs and other magically-inclined folk.

Legacy[]

Frobozz Astronautics Mining-Class Starship, Starcross — The Frobozz Astronautics Company's Mining-Class Starship, Starcross

Despite the company's end on Zork, the Frobozz Magic Company continued to survive and prosper elsewhere thanks to Frobozz Astronautics taking them to the stars beyond the Great Brogmoid-held worlds, with Frobozz still in operation as an interstellar corporation in the far reaches of space centuries later all the way up to the 22nd Century, still producing their usual vastly large assortment of useful goods along with starship designs for otherworldly customers. It is unknown if they ever restored their headquarters on Zork.

Subsidiaries & Properties[]

Frobozz Magic Aardvark Company
Frobozz Magic Abacus Company
Frobozz Magic Abbreviated Dictionary Company
Frobozz Magic Abdominal Exercisor Company
Frobozz Magic Abode Company
Frobozz Magic Abrasives Company
Frobozz Magic Absorbent Toothbrush Company
Frobozz Magic Accessories Company
Frobozz Magic Accoutrements Company
Frobozz Magic Accordion Company
Frobozz Magic Acid Company
Frobozz Magic Acne Repellent Company
Frobozz Magic Acoustical Food Company
Frobozz Magic Acoustical Tile Company
Frobozz Magic Actuarial Table Company
Frobozz Magic Additive Company
Frobozz Magic Adhesive Company
Frobozz Magic Adobe Brick Company
Frobozz Magic Adpoidz Company
Frobozz Magic Advertising Agency Company
Frobozz Magic Afghan Hound Company
Frobozz Magic Aftershave Company
Frobozz Magic Airplane Company
Frobozz Magic Air Pump Company
Frobozz Magic Alcoholic Beverage Company
Frobozz Magic Algae Food Company
Frobozz Magic Alkaline Battery Company
Frobozz Magic Allergy Remedy Company
Frobozz Magic Alligator Shoes Company
Frobozz Magic Amoeba Company
Frobozz Magic Amulet Company
Frobozz Magic Android Company
Frobozz Magic Apple Company
Frobozz Magic Apron Company
Frobozz Magic Aquarium Company
Frobozz Magic Arcade Game Company
Frobozz Magic Astronautics Company: Based in Luna City Docks. Constructed the Mining Class Ship "Starcross" in the 22nd century.
Frobozz Magic Avocado Company
Frobozz Magic Banking Company
- Bank of Zork
- Frobozz Mint
- Frobozz Magic Blood Bank
Frobozz Magic Barrel Company
Frobozz Bathysphere Company: Constructed the diving bell of the Royal Yacht (designed by Jacques Yves Flathead).
Frobozz Magic Belly Dancer Agency
Frobozz Magic Beverage Company
Frobozz Magic Biography Publishing Company: Published "The Lives of the Twelve Flatheads".
Frobozz Magic Biscuit Company
Frobozz Magic Boat Company: Produced inflatable magic boats as the one found at the base of Flood Control Dam #3.
Frobozz Magic Bomb Company
Frobozz Magic Book Company: Published "The Great Underground Empire: A History" and "A Traveller's Guide to the Great Underground Empire".
Frobozz Magic Brewery
Frobozz Magic Building Consortium
Frobozz Magic Calendar Company: Published the Flathead Calendar.
- Frobozz Magic Day Company: Owns the weekday Frob^TR.
- Frobozz Magic Month Company: Owns the month Frobuary^TR (formerly Fidooshiary) since 817 GUE.
Frobozz Magic Candy Company
Frobozz Magic Cave Company: The first and largest subsidiary formed to implement Duncanthrax's massive tunneling project. and the ambitious Great Underground Highway system. It is now an umbrella for a wide range of undeground construction projects. After the completion of the Royal Museum, it increased its staff for the FCD and volcano projects. It built the FrobozzCo HQ in Flatheadia. It has won a vast amount of honors including the Dirtiest Shovel in the Great Underground Empire award.
Frobozz Magic Cloak Company
Frobozz Magic Clown Nose Company: Provided Barbazzo Fernap's clown noses.
Frobozz Magic Company Company: Originally Flathead Industries, created to invent companies and sell to FrobozzCo, eventually bought by the conglomerate.
Frobozz Magic Company International World Headquarters Building
Frobozz Magic Construction Company: Formed by Duncanthrax to enlarge the caverns. One of their works was the FrobozzCo HQ and the unfinished Rockville Estates.
Frobozz Magic Crematorium Company
Frobozz Magic Data Institute
Frobozz Magic Dirt Disposal Company: One of the first companies, evidently to facilitate the work of the previous company.
Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Company: Published Encyclopedia Frobozzica.
- Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Research Company: Compiled the entries of the Encyclopedia Frobozzica.
- Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Illustration Company: Provided illustrations for the Encyclopedia Frobozzica.
- Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Accuracy and Verification Company: Double, triple and quadruple-checked the facts of the Encyclopedia Frobozzica entries.
Frobozz Magic Engineering Company
Frobozz Magic Flashlight Company
Frobozz Magic Flume Company
Frobozz Magic Food Company
Frobozz Magic Glove Company
Frobozz Magic Granola Mining Company
Frobozz Magic Grommet Company
Frobozz Magic Grue Repellent Company: One of the fastest growing divisions. The product contributed to the 31% drop of the grue population around 778. The New Iproved Repellent has a new G-17 additive which can bemade from ordinary sand. It increased its efficiency by 45%, lasts longer, requires fewer sprayings and most grues will not approach within 70ft of someone sprayed. Initially produced in the regular old socks/burning rubber odor, 7 new odors were added (rotting eggs, dead fish, swamp gas, three-week-old meatloaf, gym locker, wet dog and mint). In association with the Noseplugs Co., they begun the Free-Noseplugs-With-Every-Can campaign and in one month sales were increased by 92%. In a joint packaging effort with the Lantern Co. they produced the Frobozz Anti-Grue Kit
Frobozz Magic Gunk Company: Produced all-purpose gunk sold in tubes.
Frobozz Magic Homing Pigeon Company: Produced clay pigeons which teleport their holder to the location of the perch. One of their employees was Belznork Gibblewitz.
Frobozz Magic Hotel Company: Owned the Borphee Inn.
Frobozz Magic Instant Volcano Company
Frobozz Magic Lantern Company: In a joint effort with the above, they produced the Frobozz Anti-Grue Kit
Frobozz Magic Magic Equipment Company
Frobozz Magic Magic Supply Company
Frobozz Magic Messenger Nymph Bureau: A nymph from the "Frobozz Magic Messenger Nymph Bureau" was summoned by the Bivotar and Juranda with a spell in order to call Syovar.
Frobozz Magic Noseplugs Company: In association with the Grue Repellent Co., they begun the Free-Noseplugs-With-Every-Can campaign.
Frobozz Magic Passage Company: Produced portable magic passages which can be installed on a wall. They were provided to the F.M. Construction Co., used during the construction of the Rockville Estates.
Frobozz Magic Realty Company
Frobozz Magic Robotics Company
Frobozz Magic Roller Coaster Company
Frobozz Magic Royal Yacht Company: Constructed the Royal Yacht in the Lake Flathead.
Frobozz Magic Scroll Company: Created in response to the growing demand for magic spell accessories.
- Frobozz Magic Scroll Mailing Tube Company
- Frobozz Magic Scroll Rack Company
Frobozz Magic Sewer Company: One of the first companies, obviously made to install sewers in the underground caverns.
Frobozz Magic Squid Repellent Company: Provided repellents for giant squids.
Frobozz Magic Snowmaking Equipment Company: Had their factories in the Gray Mountains.
Frobozz Magic Spell Company: Having a steady growth since 758, its primary customer had been the Enchanters Guild until the invention of self-casting spell scrolls created a new widespread market of magic technology. In 778 its sales increased 11% and broke the record of inventing 4 new spells during the course of the year.
Frobozz Magic Spell Book Company
Frobozz Magic Sunlight Company
Frobozz Magic Sword Company
Frobozz Magic Teleportation Station
Frobozz Magic Toboggan Company: Provided the toboggan of William Randolph Flathead
Frobozz Magic Travel Agency
Frobozz Magic Trunk Key Company: Constructed the rusty key that appears magically in the Fublio Valley quarry, used to open Megaboz's trunk.
Frobozz Magic Tunneling Company
Frobozz Magic Tweezers Company: After a Zm652000 market research survey revealed a widespread need for high-quality technologically advanced teezers, several years of planning and development followed. Around 778 the F.M. Tweezer Model A-1 was ready to be produced for a Zm0.29 retail, and after its success in test markets, the Model X-1 would follow, retailing for Zm0.89. The same years the company planned for six more models and various add-on accessories.
Frobozz Magic Vending Machine Company
Frobozz Magic Vial Company: Produces 4-gloop and 9-gloop vials.
Frobozz Magic Village Industries
Frobozz Magic Wand Company
Frobozz Magic Wine Company, Ltd
Frobozz Magic Wizard Escape Potion Company
Frobozz Magic Writing Paper Company: Their profits soared thanks to Ralph Waldo Flathead's many long essays.
Frobozz Bozbarland Theme Park
Frobozz Grayslopes Ski Resort
Frobozz National Archive
Frobozz Newt-of-the-Month Club
Frobozz Philharmonic Hall
Frobozz Philharmonic Orchestra
Frobozzball League
Frobozz Magic Company Ethereal Server Host (for Implementor usage only)
Frobozz Company International Safety Trust (evaluating product safety)
Frobozzian Commission for Higher Learning
- Frobozz Magic Correspondence Schools

Defunct[]

Inquisition Enterprises
- Frobozz Electric Company: Brief rebranding of FrobozzCo during the reign of Mir.
  - Frobozz Electric Inquisition Muzzle-Up Company
  - Frobozz Electric Adventureworks ZRK
  - Frobozz Electric Inquisition Numbered Ticket Company: Provided the tickets to the victims of the Inquisition, specifically created for Mir's Cranial Enema Program.
  - Frobozz Electric Alarm Company
  - Frobozz Electric Cigar Company
  - Frobozz Electric Prodding Company
  - Frobozz Electric Lamp Company
  - Frobozz Electric Publishing Company
    - Conformer Reports
    - Obedience Monthly
  - Frobozz Electric Puzzle Solving Company
  - Frobozz Electric Registration Company
  - Frobozz Electric Telegraph Company
  - Frobozz Electric Torture Company
  - Frobozz Electric Wizard Repellent Company

Others[]

F.M. Aqueduct Co., F.M. Arch Co., F.M. Armchair Co., F.M. Arrow Co., F.M. Art Appraisal Co., F.M. Artificial Frog Co., F.M. Arvix Co., F.M. Asphalt Co., F.M. Automatic Machinery Co., F.M. Auxiliary Machinery Co., F.M. Avocado Co., F.M. Bagpipe Co., F.M. Baldness Cure Co., F.M. Balsa Wood Co., F.M. Banana Co., F.M. Banking Co., F.M. Barometer Co., F.M. Barrel Co., F.M. Basket Co., F.M. Bat Food Co., F.M. Bathrobe Co., F.M. Battery Co., F.M. Bazooka Co., F.M. Beachball Co., F.M. Beard Grooming Accessories Co., F.M. Beetle Trap Co., F.M. Belly Dancer Agency, F.M. Belt Co., F.M. Beverage Co., F.M. Bicycle Co., F.M. Bilkwishum Co., F.M. Billboard Co., F.M. Binocular Co., F.M. Biscuit Co., F.M. Bitter Frook Co., F.M. Blackboard Co., F.M. Blanket Co., F.M. Bleach Co., F.M. Blinker Co., F.M. Blister Packaging Co., F.M. Blizzard Co., F.M. Blood Bank, F.M. Blotter Co., F.M. Blouse Co., F.M. Blubber Co., F.M. Blueberry Pie Co., F.M. Bludgeon Co., F.M. Blue Jeans Co., F.M. Zwieback Co.^[1]

Products[]

Frobozz Catalog — A vast assortment of FrobozzCo's magical aids.

The following products named "Frobozz Magic..." appear after the fall of the GUE. They possibly refer to a "FrobozzCo Magic ... Company" although no such full name is always mentioned.

Animals & Animal Products[]

Frobozz Magic Aardvarks
Frobozz Magic Flamingo Food
Frobozz Magic Clay Homing Pigeons
Frobozz Magic Scorpion Sting Remedy - A greenish liquid that comes in an eerie fragile vial. Found in a box in Grawl's dungeon and used by Bivotar when a scorpion stung him.
Frobozz Magic Squid Repellent

Appliances & Machines[]

Frobozz Magic All Organic Processor
Frobozz Magic Anti-Gravity Field - Harlon the Hermit mentions that this product is installed at the Lover's trap.
Frobozz Magic Compressor - In the Cavern of Doom, Bivotar and Juranda find a room with a "Frobozz Magic Compressor"; a cart railway leads to it. Vaguely shaped vaguely like a washing machine, with white enamel sides and a large lid on top, it operates with a button, and after a dazzling display of colored lights and bizarre noises it hyper-compresses coal to turn then into diamonds. A fine print on the label, warns that using it more than three times in one day can cause its delicate magic circuits to overload.
Frobozz Magic Customer Service Robots
Frobozz Magic Floor Waxer
Frobozz Magic Grue Refrigerator
Frobozz Magic Incinerator - Farther into the Cavern a bone-strewn tunnel leads to the Frobozz Magic Crematorium. A sign on the floor, before an ornate wooden door, engraved in a flowery script reads "May Eternal Peace Be Yours". Behind the door is a dimly lit room, covered with a plush carpet and velvet tapestries. It is tended by two ancient robots, Leo and Rocky who drag the bodies into the "Frobozz Magic Incinerator" but haven't been operating for 142 years.
Frobozz Magic Pressurizer
Frobozz Magic Purple Beast Alarm System
Frobozz Magic Super Snowgun

Clothes & Accessories[]

Frobozz Magic Boots — FrobozzCo's Magic Boots

Frobozz Magic Boots
Frobozz Magic Clown Nose
Frobozz Magic Magic Equipment Ring
Frobozz Magic Glasses
Frobozz Magic Gloves
Frobozz Magic Goggles
Frobozz Magic Multi-Pocketed Capes
Frobozz Magic Sunglasses
Frobozz Magic Wizard Caps

Media, Print Media & Games[]

Frobozz Magic Arcade Games
Frobozz Magic Enchanter's Choice Book Plan
Frobozz Magic Computerized Adventure Games
The Magic Inquisition the Movie (presumably cancelled)

Food[]

Frobozz Magic Pies
Frobozz Magic Cotton Candy
Frobozz Magic Dragon Burgers
Frobozz Magic Fried Glurz
Frobozz Magic Frobsicles
Frobozz Magic Rutabagas

Furniture & Realty[]

Frobozz Magic Cozy Living Room
Frobozz Magic Instant House
Frobozz Magic Room Spinner
Frobozz Magic Well Setup Kit

Tools & Potions[]

Wizard escape potion — Frobozz Wizard Escape Potion

Frobozz Magic Burin
Frobozz Magic Gunk
Frobozz Magic Monitor
Frobozz Magic Rejectron-Coated Cauldron
Frobozz Magic Scrolls
Frobozz Magic Scroll Case
Frobozz Magic Spell Books
Frobozz Magic Sunlight - Bivotar uses a jar of Frobozz Magic Sunlight in a cave under the Flathead Mountains which repels grues.
Frobozz Magic Wizard Escape Potions - Further in the cave, the kids find a Frobozz Magic Wizard Escape Potion coming with an iron-clad money-back guarantee. Using it causes a gnome representative of the Frobozz Magic Wizard Escape Potion Company to appear magically. Later they use it to release a demon from Malifestro.

Vehicles[]

Frobozz Magic Airplanes
Frobozz Magic Balloons
Frobozz Magic Boats
Frobozz Magic Carpets - Juranda finds one of these which operates with the words FLY and LAND.
Frobozz Magic Go‐Carts
Frobozz Magic Hot Air Balloons
Frobozz Magic Mining-Class Starships
Frobozz Magic Temporizer Time Machines
Frobozz Magic Transport Brooms

Weaponry[]

Frobozz Magic Anti-Pit Bomb
Frobozz Magic Bombs
Frobozz Magic Grue Repellent
Frobozz Magic Mine Field
Frobozz Magic Swiss Army Amulet
Frobozz Magic Swords
Frobozz Magic Wands

And many more... Too many in fact!

External links[]

FrobozzCo Subsidiary Companies

References[]

↑ All mentioned in John D.'s letter

[1] All mentioned in John D.'s letter

[1]