FrobozzCo International

FrobozzCo International is a fictional monopolous conglomerate from the Infocom text adventure Zork universe. FrobozzCo International's motto is "You name it, we do it"." The company endured until the end of the Age of Magic. FrobozzCo products are littered throughout all Zork games, often with humorous effect.

History

FrobozzCo International was founded as the Frobozz Magic Cave Company by King Duncanthrax the Bellicose in 668 GUE. Later that year, FrobozzCo International was formed as a parent company for the rapidly expanding subsidiaries. A popular alternative view, according to Encyclopedia Frobozzica is that it was founded by J.B. Frobozz with the slogan: "Sell Good Magical Aids".

The same year FrobozzCo was founded, John D. Flathead graduated from Borphee Business School and founded "Flathead Industries", a company which invented other companies and then sold them to FrobozzCo. By 671 GUE, Flathead Industries purchased FrobozzCo International, renaming it Frobozz Magic Company Company. Using his royal connections, John D. Flathead quickly advanced from one of FrobozzCo's 39,000 vice-presidents to the Chairman of the Board, a position his descendants would control for nine generations. When Dimwit Flathead became King of Quendor in 770 GUE, FrobozzCo experienced another period of rapid growth fueled by Dimwit's excessive and expensive projects. John D. Flathead's goal was for FrobozzCo to control every zorkmid ever minted. This occurred in 789 when a small rutabaga farm in Mithicus, finally sold out. Unfortunately, John D. would never hear the news because the acquisition coincided with his untimely disappearance.

The company's 400-story headquarters in Flatheadia, the tallest building in Quendor, was completed in 781 GUE by Frank Lloyd Flathead. However, the Curse of Megaboz destroyed Flatheadia in 883, and FrobozzCo relocated to a smaller headquarters in Borphee.

The second Dungeon Master, the adventurer from Zork III, awarded a controlling share of FrobozzCo's stock by Megaboz.

In 1048 GUE, Mir Yannick took control of the Frobozz Magic Company, renaming it Frobozz Electric.

FrobozzCo greetings

FrobozzCo products appearing in the games routinely came with instructions which greeted the adventurer in a similar way:
*"Hello, Footpad" (Frobozz Magic Alarm Company, Zork II)
*"Hello, Sailor" (Frobozz Magic Boat Company, Zork I)
*"Hello, Aviator" (Frobozz Magic Balloon Company, Zork II)
*"Hello, Pusher" (Frobozz Magic Button Company, Zork II)
*"Goodbye, Bugs" (Frobozz Magic Bug Repellent Company, )
*"Hello, Flamingo Owner" (Frobozz Magic Flamingo Food Company, Zork Zero)
*"Hello, Builder" (Frobozz Magic Passage Company, Zork Zero)
*"Hello, Master" (Frobozz Magic Robot Company, Zork II)
*"Hello, Intruder" (Frobozz Magic Vault Company, Zork II)

List of subsidiaries

By 743 GUE, FrobozzCo International reportedly had more than 17,000 subsidiaries. By 778 GUE 18,000 more companies were founded or acquired. The following is a list of subsidiaries which are mentioned in the Zork games and/or accompanying literature:
*Frobozz Magic Aardvark Company
*Frobozz Magic Abacus Company
*Frobozz Magic Abbreviated Dictionary Company
*Frobozz Magic Abdominal Exercisor sic Company
*Frobozz Magic Abode Company
*Frobozz Magic Abrasives Company
*Frobozz Magic Absorbent Toothbrush Company
*Frobozz Magic Accessory Company
*Frobozz Magic Accordian sic Company
*Frobozz Magic Accoutrement 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
*Frobozz Magic Afghan Hound Company
*Frobozz Magic After‐Shave Company
*Frobozz Magic Airplane Company
*Frobozz Magic Air Pump Company
*Frobozz Magic Alarm 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 All‐Organic Processor Company
*Frobozz Magic Amoeba Company
*Frobozz Magic Amulet Company
*Frobozz Magic Android Company
*Frobozz Magic Apple Company
*Frobozz Magic Appliance Company
*Frobozz Magic Apron Company
*Frobozz Magic Aquarium Company
*Frobozz Magic Aqueduct Company
*Frobozz Magic Arcade Game Company
*Frobozz Magic Arch Company
*Frobozz Magic Armchair Company
*Frobozz Magic Arrow Company
*Frobozz Magic Art Appraisal Company
*Frobozz Magic Artificial Frog Company
*Frobozz Magic Arvix Company
*Frobozz Magic Asphalt Company
*Frobozz Magic Automatic Machinery Company
*Frobozz Magic Auxiliary Machinery Company
*Frobozz Magic Avocado Company
*Frobozz Magic Bagpipe Company
*Frobozz Magic Baldness Cure Company
*Frobozz Magic Balloon Company
*Frobozz Magic Balsa Wood Company
*Frobozz Magic Banana Company
*Frobozz Magic Banking Company
*Frobozz Magic Barometer Company
*Frobozz Magic Barrel Company
*Frobozz Magic Basket Company
*Frobozz Magic Bat Food Company
*Frobozz Magic Bathrobe Company
*Frobozz Magic Bathysphere Company
*Frobozz Magic Battery Company
*Frobozz Magic Bazooka Company
*Frobozz Magic Beachball Company
*Frobozz Magic Beard Grooming Accessories Company
*Frobozz Magic Beetle Trap Company
*Frobozz Magic Belly Dancer Agency
*Frobozz Magic Belt Company
*Frobozz Magic Beverage Company
*Frobozz Magic Bicycle Company
*Frobozz Magic Bilkwishum Company
*Frobozz Magic Billboard Company
*Frobozz Magic Binocular Company
*Frobozz Magic Biography Publishing Company
*Frobozz Magic Biscuit Company
*Frobozz Magic Bitter Frook Company
*Frobozz Magic Blackboard Company
*Frobozz Magic Blanket Company
*Frobozz Magic Bleach Company
*Frobozz Magic Blinker Company
*Frobozz Magic Blister Packaging Company
*Frobozz Magic Blizzard Company
*Frobozz Magic Blood Bank
*Frobozz Magic Blotter Company
*Frobozz Magic Blouse Company
*Frobozz Magic Blubber Company
*Frobozz Magic Blueberry Pie Company
*Frobozz Magic Bludgeon Company
*Frobozz Magic Blue Jeans Company
*Frobozz Magic Boat Company
*Frobozz Magic Book Company
*Frobozz Magic Bottomless Pit Bomb Company
*Frobozz Magic Breadbox Company
*Frobozz Magic Bug Repellent Company
*Frobozz Magic Burglar Alarm Company
*Frobozz Magic Burin Company
*Frobozz Magic Button Company
*Frobozz Magic Calendar Company
*Frobozz Magic Candy Company
*Frobozz Magic Cave Company
*Frobozz Magic Cloak Company
*Frobozz Magic Clown Nose Company
*Frobozz Magic Company Company
*Frobozz Magic Construction Company
*Frobozz Magic Cozy Living Room Company
*Frobozz Magic Day Company
*Frobozz Magic Dirt Disposal Company
*Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Company
*Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Accuracy and Verification Company
*Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Illustration Company
*Frobozz Magic Encyclopedia Research Company
*Frobozz Magic Flamingo Food Company
*Frobozz Magic Flume Company
*Frobozz Magic Glove Company
*Frobozz Magic Go‐Cart Company
*Frobozz Magic Goggles Company
*Frobozz Magic Gondola Company
*Frobozz Magic Grommet Company
*Frobozz Magic Grue Accessories Company
*Frobozz Magic Grue Refrigerator Company
*Frobozz Magic Grue Repellent Company
*Frobozz Magic Gunk Company
*Frobozz Magic Homing Pigeon Company
*Frobozz Magic Hotel Company
*Frobozz Magic Inquisition Numbered Ticket Company
*Frobozz Magic Label Company
*Frobozz Magic Lantern Company
*Frobozz Magic Magic Carpet Company
*Frobozz Magic Magic Correspondence School
*Frobozz Magic Magic Equipment Company
*Frobozz Magic Mailbox Company
*Frobozz Magic Mine Field Company
*Frobozz Magic Month Company
*Frobozz Magic Mutated Grue Breeder Company
*Frobozz Magic Noseplugs Company
*Frobozz Magic Passage Company
*Frobozz Magic Pencil Company
*Frobozz Magic Potion Company
*Frobozz Magic Pressurizer Company
*Frobozz Magic Purple Beast Alarm System Company
*Frobozz Magic Robot Company
*Frobozz Magic Roller Coaster Company
*Frobozz Magic Room Spinner Company
*Frobozz Magic Royal Yacht Company
*Frobozz Magic Sack Company
*Frobozz Magic Saddle Company
*Frobozz Magic Scroll Mailing Tube Company
*Frobozz Magic Scroll Rack Company
*Frobozz Magic Sewer Company
*Frobozz Magic Sewer Installation Company
*Frobozz Magic Ski Wax Company
*Frobozz Magic Snow Maker Company
*Frobozz Magic Snowmaking Equipment Company
*Frobozz Magic Super Snowgun Company
*Frobozz Magic Spell Company
*Frobozz Magic Spell Book Company
*Frobozz Magic Squid Repellent Company
*Frobozz Magic Sword Company
*Frobozz Magic Temporizer Company
*Frobozz Magic Toboggan Company
*Frobozz Magic Travel Agency
*Frobozz Magic Trunk Key Company
*Frobozz Magic Truth Extractor Company
*Frobozz Magic Tweezers Company
*Frobozz Magic Unbreakable Milk Bottle Company
*Frobozz Magic Vacuum Sealed Candy Machine Company
*Frobozz Magic Vault Company
*Frobozz Magic Vial Company
*Frobozz Magic Viewer Company
*Frobozz Magic Well Company
*Frobozz Magic Wine Company, Ltd
*Frobozz Magic Writing Paper Company
*Frobozz Magic Zwieback Company

References

*Robin Lionheart. (1997). " [http://quendor.robinlionheart.com/frobozzco FrobozzCo International Subsidiaries (Chronology of Quendor)] ".