A religious cult that is hostile to all but their own, the Monolithians believe in the power of the Wish Granter, rumoured to be an alien artifact hidden in the center of the Zone. Members of this faction devote their lives to protecting the secret of the Great Crystal, ensuring that no one ever reaches the center of the Zone. In fact, the Monolith are so dedicated to their cause that in a few reported cases, a group of stalkers who were making their way north reported that there were a few Monolith stalkers who ran out of ammunition who then blindly charged their enemies and proceeded to topple one of the stalkers in the group, once toppled he attempted to choke the stalker to death but was killed by his friends, although according to them it took them a several magazines to finally kill him. Another case is a similar incident but instead the monolithian attempted to chew the stalker's throat out which also failed. It is also an interesting thing to note that all Monolith stalkers are immune to the zombifying effects of Psi-Emitters like the Brain Scorcher, and still retain their combat skills as if they were normal stalkers.
Their ranking system and organization structure is unknown, with the only identified unit within their structure being Crystal, whose sole task was securing the Monolith. In Call of Pripyat however, a ranking structure is hinted at - each large Monolith squad is supported by a Preacher, who snipes from atop buildings while chanting phrases out to inspire his men, or to demoralize the enemy.
History
Clear Sky
Shortly before the Second Emission that began Clear Sky, the Monolith faction, which had initially been a neutral, and possibly benevolent faction, picked up their roots around the Zone and marched towards Pripyat. Their goal at the time was thought to be suicidal, but when the other factions made their own push towards the NPP, they learned that the Monolithians had not only survived the harsh trek, but had in fact become stronger for it.
In the final stages of Clear Sky, the primary opposition is the Monolith faction itself, having repelled all of the other factions attempting to break into the Zone center. It is here that it's first suggested (chronologically) that Monolith bolsters its numbers through the use of emissions, and later, via the Brain Scorcher. The ending shows the survivors of Clear Sky's raid being brainwashed via television screens, including Strelok and likely Scar as well.
Shadow of Chernobyl
By the time Shadow of Chernobyl takes place, the Monolith faction is considered to be the most powerful faction in the Zone by far, easily as numerous as Duty and Freedom, with advanced technology that not even the Military possesses. They regularly launch raids from the center of the Zone, attacking the Freedom Barrier with forces consisting of occasionally 20 men, a relatively expensive strategy in the sparsely populated Zone. Their grip has extended from beyond the NPP, and they have established a headquarters in Pripyat, led by a figurehead known as Charon.
Initially thought to be a simple cult or a group of insane lunatics, it is later revealed through Shadow of Chernobyl's backstory that Monolith's members are in fact the Stalkers and Military Soldiers who attempted to penetrate the Zone's center, or even made it as far as the Wish Granter, brainwashed by a vaguely sinister C-Consciousness. In all likelihood, the vast majority of the Monolith faction's troops are in fact former Clear Sky members, as well as Duty, Freedom, Military, and Loners who supposedly lost their lives in the Second and Third emissions.
Call of Pripyat
Monolith takes a much quieter role in Call of Pripyat as compared to previous games. While in the first two, Monolith had large amounts of territory, by the time the protagonist reaches Pripyat itself, Monolith's outlying forces have either been destroyed, or gained freedom from the influence of C-Consciousness. One such squad, led by Strider, can be encountered by the player, and recruited into one of the other factions - supposedly a first in the history of the Zone. However, the remaining Monolith in the game are openly hostile to all other factions.
They first make their appearance as enemies inside the Jupiter Underground, where they launch an ambush on the player and his companions before they can make a break for the surface. This is the first appearance of snipers in the entirety of the game, taking advantage of numerous vantage points to snipe the player as he attempts to activate back-up power to the underground.
Once the player arrives in Pripyat, it's revealed that Monolith itself is slowly losing power, but is still a potent enough threat to have decimated the survivors of Operation Fairway. Of particular interest is a special weapon sighted in their possession, which Colonel Kowalsky sends a special ops team to confiscate. This mission is the first sighting of the Monolith Preachers, who make use of the rare and devastating Gauss Rifle. With the Preacher dead, the player then takes part in another mission, destroying one of the Monolith outposts in a bookstore - gunning them down while they pray. It becomes apparent that, while some of them maintain a connection to the Monolith (namely the Preacher and Monolith Fighter), the majority of them have lost this link and are left at the Preachers' command. It may be that C-Con had a back-up 'Monolith' to control their subjects in the event of their destruction.
Afterwards, the player is relatively free to explore Pripyat, though Monolith maintains at least two strongholds - one above the X8 Lab and another within Prometheus Cinema. Despite this, they're rarely seen outside of them and it is typically up to the player whether or not they wish to fight them outside of the main storyline missions.
They serve as the main opposition during the finale, where at least two more Preachers make their appearance, trying to prevent the survivors of Operation Fairway from evacuating.
Conversion
Briefly covered in Clear Sky, Call of Pripyat adds a bit more information to the effects of C-Con's brainwashing on Stalkers. Strider and the Preacher both exhibit a completely flat personality and suffer from a monotone speech impediment, and Strider himself has a poor grasp on the English language. Even the other freed Monolith under Strider's command have difficulty communicating and tend to speak in halting, jerky sentences. Monolith also do not communicate to each other in battle, and have yet to be seen communicating with one another outside of battle, so this impediment may be a result of C-Con relaying everything to their soldiers.
Aside from the Preachers in the organization, Monolith troops are completely reliant on the Monolith itself to relay orders and guide them. Aside from basic needs such as food, water, and self-preservation, they remain immobile and typically pray, calling out to the Monolith for additional orders. With the Monolith's power greatly weakened in Call of Pripyat, it seems only the most vulnerable to C-Con's commands remain fully under the brainwashing, while others are confused without guidance and need the Preachers to relay orders. Those who may have been particularly resistant such as Strider have gained their independence, suggesting that contrary to the rest of the stalker community's belief, it is possible to reverse the conversion process.
Appearances
Clear Sky
Locations
In Clear Sky, the Monolith faction has only three territories under its control; the Chernobyl NPP itself, the northern portion of Limansk, and most of the abandoned hospital where you progress to after Limansk. They become the main opposition to the player during the final portion of the game, but are relatively rare outside of these areas, appearing only in small groups in such areas as the Army Warehouses.
Shadow of Chernobyl
Locations
Monolith appears first in the Army Warehouses area, where a large squad of Monolithians launch an attack upon the Freedom barricade. Afterwards, they take the role as the primary opposition once again, often deploying en masse to block Strelok from making any further progress. By this time they've established numerous checkpoints within the Red Forest and garrison the Brain Scorcher, having established a strong, well-fortified position within Pripyat. Elite units regularly patrol the city, and at the same time still more Monolithians protect Chernobyl NPP itself, along with the Sarcophagus.
Call of Pripyat
Locations
Monolith is comparatively decimated, declined in power and stature after the events of Shadow of Chernobyl. They only maintain barebone garrisons within three locations of Pripyat - one of which is quickly wiped off the map by the player. Despite this, they continue to receive reinforcements from Chernobyl NPP itself, and deploy what amounts to a small army in order to keep the player from evacuating survivors from the city.
Armaments
It is suggested in dialogue with Clear Sky members in Limansk that the Monolith faction is extremely well equipped, yet short on numbers compared to the other factions, putting them on level-footing with the Clear Sky faction. They use equipment developed by C-Consciousness or those acquired from the obliterated Clear Sky faction. The Monolith throughout the series make use of nearly every weapon available, as well as high-end weaponry that most other factions either have no access to (such as the Gauss Rifle and FN F2000), or can only field in small quantities.
Thus, most of their weaponry is unique and unavailable to the player until near the end of the game.
Pistols
Sub-Machine Guns/Carbines
Rifles
- AKS-74N
- AN-94 "Abakan"
- AS Val
- OTs-14 Groza
- ZM LR-300
- Sig Sauer 550
- Heckler & Koch G36K - Shadow of Chernobyl and Call of Pripyat only.
- FN F2000 - Shadow of Chernobyl.
Machine Guns
- PKM - Only in Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat.
Sniper Rifles
Special Weapons
Armor
- Monolith Suit - Heavily modified Stalker Suit, usually worn with a Respirator. Features more armor, more anomaly protection, and more radiation protection than the Stalker Suit. Only available to the player in Shadow of Chernobyl.
- Scientific Monolith Suit - A Monolith Suit with a Curtain Helmet. Offers higher bullet/splinter protection than the SEVA Suit and the PSZ-9Md Universal Protection suit. Never available to the player without mods.
- Monolith Exoskeleton - An Exoskeleton painted white with grey and dull green, with urban camouflaged fatigues. The Monolith Exoskeleton is commonly issued to Veteran and Expert members. In Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat, they sometimes only wear the same armor used on Exoskeletons, not the Exoskeleton itself.
Notable members
Gallery
| |||||||||||||||||