This has kept Ironwood as one of if not the safest place in the Texas Badlands. Asside from the usual threats found anywhere in the Badlands (IE mutant creatures, the common enviro hazards, occasional raiders) only the Collective's presence and claim over the area makes it worth of the title of Zone. the Zone itself stretches along the Badlands border with the Wasteland, with its northwestern most point going arround Pierson Lake, its southwestern cornor being just a little shy of Beaver Dam Marsh, kissing the city limits of Crokket, and rejoining the Badland's border at the old Anderson County line. It is not a large terratory, but it's indisputably the Collective's.
Houston County Lake is located on the southern edge of the Ironwood zone. The lake was created before the Great War for recreational purposes and is now home to many species of mutant fish and other aquatic creatures. It’s a popular spot for locals for recreational and commercial purposes, and is regularly patrolled by the Collective’s Civil Guard. While hiking in the area around the lake, resting on its shores, and fishing from the piers is safe, outsiders are are warned not to swim in the lake, as it is rumored to be home to the "Lake Leviathan".
The Lake Leviathan, assuming it exists, appears to be a mutant basking shark. It is said to be extremely aggressive, large enough to capsize any vessel one is likely to sail on the lake, and has numerous squid-like tentacles which it uses to snatch prey form the decks of boats. It is known to eat both organic and inorganic individuals, seemingly attacking and eating anything that moves. The only sightings of the creature come from a well known jet addicted hermit who lives neat the lake… but the lake is also known for its high rate of disappearances, all of whom are known to have gone sailing or swimming.
The Lake Leviathan is notorious within Ironwood for the simple fact that it is the only unknown threat within the zone. Ironwood’s other threats are well known. Their territories and locations have been marked with signs by the Ironwood Ranger Corps. Travel within and through the zone is entirely safe, assuming you are welcome.
The town of Ironwood lies at the center of the forest, and serves as a hub for traders and travelers passing through the region. While many people find the Collective, forest, and town’s names being identical to be confusing, the Collective simply laughs and blames the “Meatbags” for insisting on using their own names for them, rather than the Collective’s. What doesn't seem to enter into the Collective’s collective heads is most humans cannot parse “172.16.0.0:192.168.0.1:44C6.6758.19AA” as meaningful information, let alone both a name and directions for/to a place.
The Ironwood Collective allows humans to visit and trade in town, as long as they respect the boundaries of the forest and don't cause trouble. The visitable part of the town is made up of simple wooden structures, with a few small shops and a saloon. The town proper sits behind a wall and is comprised of hardened concrete structures (seemingly made by recycling Palestine's buildings) and is a massive manufacturing and industrial hub.
Organics are allowed past the wall, but typically only if they are citizens or there to pickup or drop off cargo. There is a large tower in the center of Ironwood which is off limits to all but a few and can be seen from a ten mile radius. The 528 foot tall Skye-Tek Spire is a fully restored pre-war relic which serves the Ironwood Collective as their capitol building. It glows brightly at night, and its glass sides reflect the sunlight during the day. The Spire therefore acts as a beacon by which many people navigate the zone itself.
Overall, the Ironwood zone is a mysterious and dangerous place, but also one of great natural beauty. It is a unique mix of lush nature and robot civilizations, coexisting in a delicate balance.