In a post-apocalyptic Oregon, androids once served humankind, corporations rose unchecked, and zombies outnumbered the living.
That's not the next Netflix series, but the setting of Afterworlds, a live-action role-playing game created by Andrew Long, who is known to players as Udo.
He launched Afterworlds in 2013 on his property in Noti, an unincorporated area of Lane County about 15 miles west of Eugene. It started with just a few players and a story about humanity's downfall, where participants pretended to fight off mutants with Nerf guns.
“So you know how people would have a reenactment of the Civil War or something like that? We are 'pre-enacting' a world in the apocalypse. It’s more light-hearted than it would really be,” Udo said. “It’s really just a gigantic community of like-minded people getting some physical exercise and playing around with our imaginations.”
Over the years, the group transformed several acres of Udo's property into a post-apocalyptic set. Wooden shelters were built from reclaimed materials, props were foraged from foam and duct tape, and costumes grew more elaborate.
A project that was once a hobby has expanded into an immersive world that draws players for multiple weekend events each year.
“The community has grown to one that invites incredibly friendly people,” he said. “It’s a really safe place for a lot of us to just open up and do whatever we want.”
From dice to foam swords
Modern "live-action role play," or LARP, borrows themes from tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Players bring their characters to life through costumes and immersive puzzles rather than rolling dice. Veteran player Jesse Foster has been part of that world since 1991.
“LARP is kind of a love child from the old Dungeons and Dragons days, but it doesn’t really translate very well because we don’t really have a big eye in the sky making sure everyone is following the rules properly,” said Foster. “The onus is on you to be a good player.”
Players build characters like mutants, animals, and humanoids, with unique abilities and limits. They make their way through the storyline, created and monitored by the Game Master, and work together to solve puzzles that have the potential to alter a story's ending.
While strategy and teamwork help move the story forward, the game is also about combat.
“Not all LARPs are 'run around and hit somebody with a stick,' but this one is, and with Nerf guns also,” said Foster. “This one is like ‘There he is!’ and we run over and pop pop pop with the swords.”
A make-believe apocalypse meets real-world red tape
In recent years, the community's biggest battles have been real-world ones. The pandemic shrank Afterworlds attendance, and many LARPing groups didn't survive.
“As a business, it is very hand-to-mouth. You get your ticket sales and then you can throw the next event, you get your ticket sales, you can throw the next event, and without the next event, a lot of them went under,” Foster said. “(Our group) did survive the pandemic, but we have not recovered from it yet.”
The pandemic hasn't been the only battle. Recently, Udo has had to navigate Lane County regulations requiring permits for overnight camping. To keep events running, he took out a loan to purchase a one-time permit that would allow part of his property to be considered a private campground.
“The community is coming together to help cover the fees of the permit change,” Udo said. “I often lose money on the events that I run. It’s not like I’m trying to be greedy or anything. I just really want this community to have a space.”
Overnight events have been put on hold while the group waits for the permit. The community has kept Afterworlds alive through fundraising, but recruiting new players has become its own kind of quest. Finding ways to advertise a LARP group has been tricky.
“Just seeing a pamphlet out somewhere, most people are going to see it and go, ‘What are these nerds doing?’” he said.
Where the apocalypse feels like home
The story of Afterworlds isn't just about foam swords and zombies: it's about escaping everyday stress. Abby Erickson has attended events since 2016, and for her, the appeal has been the creativity of exploring character abilities and identities.
“The freedom of expression, and just the complete departure from reality, is just so fun and so therapeutic,” said Erickson. “It’s a place you can go where everything is so different and we still have friendship and camaraderie and all that stuff.”
For many who play, Afterworlds feels less like a game and more like a home. That sense of welcome is exactly why Jesse Foster returns year after year.
”This is the best larp experience that I’ve had in three decades plus,” he said. “And for people like me, it can be very hard to be social, but when I come to LARP I’m not me, I’m my character.”
Creating a refuge for imagination is exactly what Udo had in mind when he created the space.
“Bringing a whole bunch of people together to tell these stories and give everybody a laugh and a giggle, is exactly why I do this,” he said.
Even with weekend events on hold, Afterworlds isn't fading away. Players are still building the post-apocalyptic world and crafting stories until the game returns next year.
