Vortigaunt

A group of Vortigaunts in Half-Life.

A Vortigaunt ally in Half-Life 2.

An enslaved Vortigaunt janitor in Half-Life 2.

Vortigaunts (sometimes known as "alien slaves") are a fictional species from the Half-Life video game series. They are frequently encountered enemies in the original game, and rarely-appearing allies in its sequel.

In appearance, a Vortigaunt is somewhat humanoid with two legs and two arms, but has an additional, seemingly vestigial, arm protruding from its chest. This extra limb is a feature also found in the other bipedal, sentient species from Xen, including the "Alien Grunt" and Nihilanth, suggestive of a common ancestry (instead of a single arm, the "Gargantua" creature has two digit-less tentacles, which may indicate that it is not part of the same lineage). The Vortigaunt has a hunched back, and its face is dominated by a large, single red eye, surrounded by a number of smaller eyes. While they have their own language, they are also able to speak in English (and remark humourously on the etiquette of which language to use in Half-Life 2).

In Half-Life, they are common enemies in both Black Mesa and Xen. While they usually attack aggressively, they often become timid when injured, preferring to run away rather than risk further combat and possible death. They have two modes of attack : a slow-charging electric attack in which they "fire" green bolts of lightning, and claws for close combat. Significantly, in Half-Life all of the Vortigaunts wear green collars and wrist bands. Later events reveal these to be a means by which they are controlled by a remote master (the Nihilanth).

In Half-Life 2, Gordon Freeman meets up with the creatures again. This time, however, they are eager to assist in overthrowing the Combine. In the time between the two games, the Vortigaunts have been freed from their former master, and most have joined the resistance against the Combine. The Vortigaunts' reverence towards Gordon (particularly in their use of calling him "the Free Man") seems to indicate that they credit him with freeing them from their servitude, most probably the result of the Nihilanth's death.

However, not all Vortigaunts have been freed. In the first chapter of Half-Life 2 - "Point Insertion" - it is possible to catch a brief glimpse of a Vortigaunt working under the Combine. Wearing a collar and armbands similar to those worn in Half-Life (though with an additional section around its waist), the Vortigaunt is shown slowly and meticulously using a push-broom to sweep dirt and garbage in the City 17 train station.

There is a hint in Half-Life 2 that Vortigaunts can communicate with one another telepathically. When describing the Combine prison, Nova Prospekt, Alyx mentions that what little information they have has been obtained from Vortigaunts taken there. As only tortured Vortigaunts are encountered in the prison (rather than ones working as janitors as above), this suggests a telepathic mode of contact between Vortigaunts. This may also be inferred in the reference to "cords" by the "All-Knowing Vortigaunt".

There is also a single-player modification for Half-Life known as Point Of View, where one can play as a Vortigaunt during the Black Mesa Incident. Point of View 2 is currently under development under the name Azure Stand. This will also be a sequel to Azure Sheep, a single-player modification for Half-Life, and will, according to the developers, "be set during the 7-hours War" [1].

In Half-Life 2, the Vortigaunts are voiced by Louis Gossett, Jr..

"The All-Knowing Vortigaunt"

File:All Knowing Vortigaunt AYool.jpg

The All-Knowing Vortigaunt in Half-Life 2.

In what appears to be a carefully hidden Easter egg, Half-Life 2 introduces a unique member of this species during the course of the Water Hazard stage.

Near the end of the chapter, Freeman must destroy a hunter-killer "chopper" that has been following his trail. After this is completed, the player must open a large, sliding metal grate to proceed further. At this stage, near the dam, there are two visible drainage tunnels set into the face of the rock. The grate on the left tunnel is shown to be peeled back. Should the player choose to adventure further, they must travel through a small stretch of radioactive waste, before coming upon a large, underground cavern. This cavern is home to a character occasionally referred to by fans as "The All-Knowing" (or "Sore Throat") vortigaunt.

The Vortigaunt in question is shown roasting a headcrab over an open fire while chanting, eventually breaking to "hack" and "wheeze" for a moment. The player may safely approach the creature, applying the "use" key to reveal various pieces of dialogue. Using this method, the player may then discover several cryptic "secrets" pertaining to Black Mesa, Xen, the G-Man, and Nihilanth, among several other topics. Samples of said dialogue are shown below:

"We remember the Freeman. We are coterminous."
"There is no distance between us. No false veil of time or space may intervene."
"We see you still in Black Mesa. Clearly we see you in the Nihilanth's chamber."
"We bear witness to the bright eternity of the Nihilanth's demise. You leap, you fall, we see you flash beyond the barriers."
"For a brief time you joined with us. You are one. Between the worlds."
"Communion of the vortessence. And that other: a deeper mystery. No deeper than the void itself."
"We cannot forget those whose cords you cut. Forgiveness is not ours to bestow."
"Unity of purpose, the shattering of common shackles, a single road we tread."
"Your song we sing and shall sing for eternity. No matter the consequences of this struggle."
"You have brought us grief and jubilation beyond measure."
"We are there still, in observance of your final stroke."
"While our own lay scattered at your feet, you severed the vortal cord that bound the Nihilanth to life, and to us."
"That sharp spur of hope has not dulled to this day. For once the lesser master lay defeated, we knew the greater must also fall in time."
"With you beside us, a talisman of victory, the day of freedom draws nigh."
"Your bright face obscures your darker mask."
"We call you sib, although your mind and meaning are a mystery to us. "
"Far distant eyes look out through yours."
"Something secret steers us both. We shall not name it."
"We have endured these chafing bonds for eons, yet a single moment of further servitude seems intolerable!"
"How often have we slipped our yoke, only to find it choking us again."
"Let this war end in either total victory or our extinction. No further compromise shall we allow."
"We take our stand beside you, here, upon this miserable rock."
"The way ahead is dark for the moment."
"What seems to you a sacrifice is merely, to us, an oscillation. We do not fear the interval of darkness."
"We are a tapestry woven of vortessence. It is the same for you if only you would see it."
"How many are there in you? Whose hopes and dreams do you encompass?"
"Could you but see the eyes inside your own, the minds in your mind, you would see how much we share."
"We are you, Freeman. And you are us."
"We have lost all dear to us."
"The Combine will pay in kind for their depravity."
"Hope is in sight."
"This marks a turning point."
"Such pessimism will doom us all."
"We have survived darker times."
"We are mindful of the words of our greatest philosopher: companum gannennen vorgenot!"

(This may be an intentional bastardization of 'Companions are not forgotten')

"You humans, always in the qualidity."
"We deem this company inviolable."
"Your companionship is greatly belabored."
"Freeman, we could be of use to you."
"We shall share the vortessence."
"Our life is worthless unless spent on freedom."
"We never dreamed to meet you in corporeal form."
"Where to, now? And to what end?"

Note that many, if not all, of these lines are also spoken by other vortigaunts encountered in Half-Life 2 (e.g. the vortigaunt who attaches the helicopter gun to Freeman's boat).