NOCEZ

(NOCEZ)

Layout of the Oregon portion of the NOCEZ

Location of the NOCEZ in the northwest

"***No one** leaves the zone,*"
—The tagline of *Zone*[src]

The **Northwest Oregon Containment and Exclusion Zone (NOCEZ)**, also known simply as the **Zone**, is a massive containment zone in northwest Oregon and the eponymous setting of *Zone*. Years before the dollar pandemic, the zone was created as a massive test site for numerous chemical weapons, and its mere existence was suppressed and its citizens paid for their silence. As a result, it is home to unique, unimaginable horrors unlike anything seen in the outside world. It is also home to a species of fungus widely known inside the zone as "Black Mold". The zone also includes a region called the Annex, an incomplete extension that extends into southwestern Washington.

## Overview

Very little is yet known about the Zone or the conditions within its borders, but there are a few details currently available. It has a highly variable topography, with its outskirts being flatter and the interior being mountainous.

The environmental conditions within the zone are incredibly inhospitable, with only the most resourceful having even a chance of survival. In addition to the Langdom Bioweapon, the zone is also infested with a species of fungus commonly referred to as black mold, which grows extensively in the zone; everyone in the zone is infected with the mold, but the vast majority are "carriers", being infected but not showing symptoms while still being capable of transmitting it to others; those who demonstrate growths are known as "growers".

Aside from the hostile microorganisms, the zone also contains other environmental dangers; the north and east portions of the zone are heavily flooded due to the lack of working infrastructure, and the western portion is subjected to intense storms from the Pacific Ocean.

### Layout

The NOCEZ is divided into many territories, each controlled by a different community where they have sole scavenging and expansion rights. There are three major communities: the Hill, located in the south of the NOCOZ; the Castle, located in the mountains; and the Bulwark, located in the east near Portland. However, there are many more communities and camps dotted around the Zone.

## History

### Pre-Pandemic

The area contained within the zone predominantly comprises what was Oregon's first congressional district, which included parts of western Portland. In addition, it contains small parts of the 5th congressional district.

The zone was constructed in 2013, and its existence was carefully hidden by the government. The residents within its bounds were paid to participate in - and keep quiet about - a series of experiments, including chemical weapons and biological agents, likely a precursor to Project Babylon.

## Notable Locations

### Communities

* The Bulwark
* The Castle
* The Hill

### Towns

* Sheridan
	+ Sheridan Bunker

### Other

* Ellis Chemical Plant
* The Wall

## Trivia

* The containment wall surrounding the zone is likely to be an upgraded form of the containment wall constructed around Langdom, Missouri in *Season 1* of *The Langdom Experiment*. The wall surrounds the entirety of Oregon's 1st Congressional District and parts of its 5th Congressional District, as well as parts of western Portland.