Monogon Industries

* 1990s
* 1980s

> "*Changing minds. Changing lives.*"
> ― Monogon slogan
>
>

**Monogon Industries** is a global conglomerate with grounds in telecommunications, hardware, software, education philanthropy, nutritional sciences, medical research, energy conservation, and housing. They are the company that developed the BONEWORKS engine and MythOS, where both *BONEWORKS* and *BONELAB* are set.

## History

### 1960s

Monogon was founded as Vocal8, a tape cartridge manufacturer with a focus on educational audio content. Their first product was My Audio Pal, a tape player that became the most popular Christmas gift of 1964 for children. After their commercial success, Vocal8 again made history by converting magnetic tape audio data to short-form video, transcoding the Moon landing.

### 1970s

In the early 1970s, Vocal8 split into two separate companies. Monotape focused on compact cassette tapes, while V8C continued Vocal8's production on magnetic tapes. V8C decided to reject home arcade and computation units, which proved ill-fated as Monotape became successful by developing hardware for cassette tapes.

### 1980s

In the 1980s, Monotape began to develop disc-based laser readers. However, after the Media Board of Canada declared that magnetic tape will be phased out in favor of more stable storage formats. In response, Monotape rebranded to MonoDisc to pre-emptively distance from magnetic tape formats and began the transfer to fully optical media. They continued to release cassette media, most notably audiobooks.

During this time, Gammon Systems also became extremely popular in the home console and game sector, with their Kingbit Entertainment System beating out MonoDisc's products in popularity. This was the beginning of the rivalry between MonoDisc and Gammon which would last for decades.

In the late 1980s, MonoDisc developed an optical home computer known as the PolySystem. The PolySystem was one of the first computers that could handle VR applications. MonoDisc simulatenously released Myth, an operating system and edutainment product for free on all PolySystem units.

### 1990s

In 1990, MonoDisc R&D discovered the Voidway, a mysterious dimension with limitless mind-bending applications. It is possible they reverse-engineered Gammon technology, which also utilised the Voidway in a more crude manner in their popular game *Duck Season.* MonoDisc experimented with the Voidway extensively, and following a discovery of [REDACTED], massive upheavals occurred in the company.

Soon after, MonoDisc rebranded to Monogon Industries. Their main focus shifted to the potential applications of the Voidway, and in particular void energy - a strange quantum matter that could exist in multiple places at once.

In 1994, the first successful use of void energy was released - the Prophet, a standalone headset that could run OldMyth on void energy. The explosive popularity of the Prophet caused Monogon immeasurable success, spawning a line of headsets (ranging from work-focused to gamer-oriented) and heavy investment into virtual reality.

By 1995, Monogon Industries grew into a global conglomerate, expanding into telecommunications, hardware and software development, educational philanthropy, nutritional sciences, medical research, energy conservation and housing programs with the government. Monogon's main project (which remains top secret) is MythOS, an infinitely scalable simulated reality made with void energy and the successor to OldMyth. They first developed BONEWORKS, a interactive virtual framework that coalesced with the Voidway and created the Voidmind AI, an artificial intelligence that was capable of using void energy to create virtual spaces. They also designed a wide array of VR headsets for any simulated lifestyle in partnership with Exxt-Cap Interfaces, spanning from the workflow-oriented Teleglass Blue to the extreme gamer-targeted Prophet XT7.

Monogon also began development on their flagship simulation for MythOS, known as MythOS City, which was slowly generated by the Voidmind AI. Development was guided by the BONEWORKS engineers, who monitored and tailored the simulation to Monogon's needs.

### *BONEWORKS*

By 1997, MythOS City was nearing completion. However, the security director for the BONEWORKS project, a man known as Arthur Ford, betrayed them. Ford was a double agent for Monogon's long-time rival Gammon, and uploaded a virus into MythOS that damaged the system clock, booting everyone from the simulation and causing irreparable damage. Void leaks occured, which contaminated the simulation and caused the Voidmind AI to become hostile and take control of its nullbodies, who gained sentience.

Monogon's virtual safeguards, such as the Cleanup Crew, were dispatched to wipe out the contaminated nullbodies as well as Ford. They were unable to stop Ford from accessing the heart of MythOS City, the Time Tower. Monogon was, however, able to locate Ford in real life, and sent agents to assassinate him before he could destroy the System Clock. These assassins, led by an unknown Head of Monogon, shot Ford through the head, killing him. However, the consciousness of Ford had already entered the Voidway, and thusly survived.

*BONELAB*

Following Ford's escape into the Voidway, MythOS City's release was pushed back. Monogon greatly increased surveillance and security measures to prevent another void breach. Employees who requested information on the events were interrogated and possibly terminated, according to the new security director. This led to employee paranoia and the nickname 'Monosec'.

In 1998, FantasyLand, a medieval simulation developed by Stress Level Zero using the BONEWORKS engine, developed a strange bug which caused the NPCs of a particular area, Heaven's Reach, to gain sentience. Monogon quarantined the simulation and took it under study.

## Structure

Monogon does not seem to have any singular CEO. Their leadership is simply referred to as the Monogon Heads. Little is known about them, but Ford believes they are clueless due to the wasted potential of void energy.

### Known Employees

* Arthur Ford
* Hayes M.
* Alora B.
* A.K.
* MGE
* M.D.
* The Executive
* TrashHandler
* Chris

## Trivia

* Stereo 8 tape did exist in real life and was actually popular between the 1960’s and 1980’s.
* This is the first difference between the Stress Level Zero (SLZ) universe and real life, as compact discs were developed by Sony and Philips in 1982.

## Gallery

The logo for MonoDisc.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.Monogon advertisement for VR headsets.
## References

1. ↑ What [REDACTED] is is currently unknown. Two possible candidates are void particles or the precursor of The Voidmind.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8-track\_tape
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact\_disc