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Oreokastro was a mountain village located on the island of Altis in the Republic of Altis and Stratis.
Etymology[]
The origin of its name is a portmanteau of two words from the native Altian language: "oreo" and "kastro", which combine to form "beautiful castle" in English.
Overview[]
Oreokastro was a once a sedentary mountain village located in the far north-western corner of Altis. It was built on top of a tiny plateau. As a result only one main road runs in and out of the settlement, though the village has numerous smaller streets within it.
Rich with history; particularly the famous ruins of the Thronos castle just north of the village itself, Oreokastro served as a poignant reminder of Altis' past - both as a subject and target of numerous empires over more than a millennia.
In 1963, the village was struck by a devastating earthquake which caused significant damage to both the settlement and its surrounding area. Many villagers were killed, though the damage was incomparable to its eventual destruction on October 13th, 2034 at the hands of a devastating cluster bombing by government forces, destroying what had become one of the greatest symbols of the Altian resistance, the devastation still rendering the village uninhabited as of August 18th, 2035, littered with deadly fragments of Unexploded Ordnance.
Notable inhabitants[]
Landmarks[]
Thronos Castle[]
Constructed atop the peak of Mount Thronos, the highest location on Altis with an elevation of 350 metres above sea level, it overlooks the entire village and the northern coast. It is accessed via a length of road extending north out of the village centre.
The castle was open to visitors from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. It was closed on Saturdays but reopened (for shorter hours) on Sundays, starting at 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM only.
Thronos Castle is actually built over the ruins of an older castle dating back to the era of Ancient Phoenicia. In 891 CE, a massive earthquake struck the entire island and completely destroyed the castle. Arabian warlords subsequently erected their own castle over the ruins in the late 9th century, though it was reclaimed by the Byzantine Empire in 968 CE from its Muslim defenders.
In both the 20th and early 21st century, the castle has largely become a popular tourist sightseeing destination for travellers from across the globe. On April 3rd, 1964, the castle was designated as "cultural property" by the Altian government and is protected by the Convention of the Hague (1954) in the event of armed conflict.
However in the months following the villages' destruction, the castle was mostly occupied by criminals and fugitives fleeing government persecution. Such squatters have largely been forced to leave in the wake of the NATO invasion however, and the castle continues to remain abandoned due to the constant threat of UXO.
Facilities[]
Cafe[]
An extremely popular cafe was often frequented by the locals.
The cafe owner strongly disliked the government and when the troop surge commenced, charged troopers double as a "tourist tax". The owner was subsequently dragged off one night and never returned.
Carpenter's Shop[]
Owned by Alexis Kouris (and also serving as home to the two brothers), a small carpenter's workshop was set up along the main road leading into the village.
Church[]
Orthodox place of worship. The church was maintained by Father Georgiopoulis, though he eventually departed for the Horizon Islands on a tsunami aid relief mission.
It consisted of both the church itself and its surrounding grounds. The yard in front served as a small cemetery; mostly occupied by generations of Oreokastro's villagers.
During the occupation, the church was retrofitted to serve as the main hub for IDAP aid workers. A medical tent was staffed by one of the NGO's doctors. Vital supplies such as medicine, bottled fresh water and rice were all stored separately in a supply tent.
Garage[]
Owned by the Kouris brothers, a small car repair workshop garage was set up across the road from the church.
Due to frequent breakdowns caused by both aged parts and user liability, the workshop was almost always busy with vehicles awaiting repair.
School[]
Devoted to primary-level education and additionally catering for preschoolers, a school was built at the centre of the village.
It consisted of two structures; a double-storey main building facing to the south-west for the staff, and a smaller classroom facing north-east. A small playground was also set up in front of the building for students to enjoy.
It was destroyed in the airstrike. Nothing remains of the original structure with the exception of its crumbled foundation and ruined playground.
Sights[]
Camp Daybreak[]
Established in the wake of the government troop surge, Camp Daybreak was the designation used for the joint NATO/AAF command post located along the road leading into the town.
It consisted of two structures: a smaller gym which was also combined with an armoury facing west (towards the road), and the larger training centre to its south which housed the local garrison.
Camp Daybreak was initially staffed by a small team of NATO observers from Task Force Aegis, who helped provide tactical leadership and training for government forces in the village. At one stage, it also served as a training centre for instructing personnel on the Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC).
Following the withdrawal of NATO peacekeepers, the camp was converted exclusively for AAF use. When the occupation began, the structures were raided by guerillas and were turned into watchposts overlooking the road into the village.
Oak tree[]
Dated at almost three hundred years of age, an oak tree was once planted in the village square.
Villagers often used the tree as a meeting spot, and pinned notes onto the trunk to pass onto each other for communications.
It was completely razed by the airstrike, and only its burnt stump remains.
Trivia[]
- The story of Oreokastro's past and its eventual destruction was hinted at early in ArmA 3's release. However, no further background was ever provided in the main campaign until the addition of Remnants of War.
- Throughout the player's progress into the Remnants of War campaign, subtle changes to the environment can be noticed depending on each memory's date. Some of the more notable differences include:
- Homes that were owned by pro-government or pro-guerilla villagers will be boarded-up and graffitied with "TRAITOR" messages, but will later be overwritten with "HERO" post-occupation/liberation.
- The pictures pinned onto the school's wall boards will transition from cheerful and colourful drawings to melancholic and depressing images of conflict, death and tragedy, reflecting the changing attitudes and situation of the families.
- Vehicles owned by the villagers will have rusted wreckages sitting at their same position in memories that take place after the village's destruction.
- Father Georgiopoulis is briefly mentioned in Old Man, helping deliver final rites to numerous dying victims of the malaria super-strain. However, he still doesn't make a physical appearance in the mini-campaign/scenario.
Gallery[]
See also[]
Settlements on Altis | |
---|---|
East | Delfinaki • Ghost Hotel • Ioannina • Kalochori • Molos • Paros • Sofia |
South-East | Agios Petros • Chalkeia • Charkia • Dorida • Ekali • Faronaki • Feres • Nifi • Panagia • Pyrgos • Rodopoli • Selakano |
Central | Agia Triada • Anthrakia • Athira • Frini • Gravia • Kalithea • Telos |
West | Abdera • Aggelochori • Agios Dionysios • Agios Konstantinos • Alikampos • Athanos • Bomos • Edessa • Fotia • Galati • Gori • Ifestiona • Katalaki • Kavala • Kavirida • Kore • Koroni • Krya Nera • Lakka • Oreokastro • Negades • Neochori • Neri • Orino • Panochori • Poliakko • Stavros • Syrta • Therisa • Topolia • Zaros |
South-West | Drimea • Eginio • Sfaka • Vikos |
Islands | Stratis* |
Military installations | Altis Aero Club Airfield • Altis International Airport • FOB Typhon • FOB Whiskey |
* denotes settlements that are technically considered to be standalone terrains. |