- "Our life is worthless unless spent on freedom."
- ― Vortigaunt
Vortigaunts, also known as Alien Slaves and often referred to as Vorts by humans, are a hive-minded, energy-wielding, sapient alien race found throughout Earth.
Overview[]
Vortigaunt slave sweeping in the City 17 trainstation.
Vortigaunts, highly intelligent and social creatures, often appear in pairs or groups, utilizing low-grade telepathy to share information. Their humanoid form includes an additional chest protrusion, mottled green-brown skin, sharp teeth, and clawed hands.
The Vortigaunt culture hints at a history marked by generations of slavery, shaping their traditions, including an oral tradition of passing down poetry, songs, and philosophical statements. Despite being meat-eaters, they refrain from consuming human corpses.
Having been liberated during the Black Mesa incident when their masters, including the Nihilanth, were destroyed. Opting to resist the Combine, they joined the human Resistance under the influence of Eli Vance, the first human to establish peaceful contact with them. Found in Resistance-controlled locations, Vortigaunts assist in the ongoing struggle.
Vocalization[]
Vortigaunts vocalize in human languages with a unique style, using verbose sentence structures and referring to individuals with a definite article. Vortigaunts also speak their native language, Vortigese, described as "flux shifting," heard in battle cries or conversations between Vortigaunts. They believe in the "Vortessence," a binding life force connecting all living things, and encounter challenges, such as forced disconnection by the Combine, affecting their telepathic abilities and perception of time.
Abilities[]
Vortigaunts possess a powerful and accurate long-range electrical attack, able to summon electricity from their hands in the form of green lightning-like beams. They must charge up briefly and remain stationary before their attacks, leaving themselves vulnerable in this period. They also attack with their claws in close range.