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Written by RogueSynapse
An excerpt from the Official Willard Vortigaunt Mega thread."But the life of a biotic is not always horrible. They are often amongst their own kind still, forming pseudo-tribes in secret often so that they can talk amongst themselves, whispering in vortigese, or speaking in human language if necessary. Of course not all citizens hate Vortigaunts, some either neutral, or even supportive and taking a liking to them. Citizens will sometimes give them food or, if they can pull them away, bring them out to socialize such as drinking in a bar.
For most, this often devolves into forming a Vortigaunt tribe and then proceeding to leverage mass numbers to then attempt to climb to the top of the pecking order, usually resulting in a mass die off as the resistance rejects trading the tyranny of the Combine for the Tyranny of the Vortigaunts. The goals in this sort of mass tribe situation are also very short-term, usually consisting of food or supplies which grant no real substance or development to your characters and as a result the faction dies off entirely."
Across the vast history of HL2RP servers that have come into existence, various playstyles and approaches have come into existence regarding the Vortigaunt Dynamic. Often times it is expected that to some extent, collectives can and will be formed in the way of these interrelated groups of Vortigaunts across the subcultures and factions of the server. Despite this, there is seldom any information offered in the way of how to do so. Common interest seem to be the only driving factor when it comes to the creation of such collectives. This is however an injustice to what could be and should be as far as tribal politics are concerned. Family groups and long lasting collectives should realistically have deeper roots for the sake of quality RP and believability within the setting in order to pay respect to the intrigue nature of these creatures.
This guide seeks to establish a method in which Vortigaunt players can utilizes to create more intricate groups with meaningful RP and character logic to build both unique and long lasting roleplay. Despite the fact that this is a standard guide that anybody can use, some aspects of this guide will pull from snibits of non-cannon relating to the Vortigaunt Home-world which isn't completely fleshed out by either Willard nor Marc Laidlaw. Any aspect of this guide is prone to being changed or updated at the wishes of the creator or the Vortigaunt faction leads.
A vast world, changing landscapes, unique orders, and elusive politics. A world of many Vortikind, each with unique characteristics, goals, asperations, and history. Aspects not too many players consider. It is often that such players forget this area of attention when it comes to the establishment of such characters. Beyond the shackles of their former masters, who were these alien creatures you wish to play?
A quote from Mark Laidlaw
"The Vortigaunts were not enslaved, except in the broadest sense. They did their duty out of devotion, and whatever befell the Nihilanth they accepted gratefully. It had been so always, in their collective memory; but the Nihilanth could still dimly recall a time when it had not been so, a distant age when it had not yet gathered so many entities around itself and made them necessary to its existence, forming a complex colonial organism which was sentient and malevolent in all of its parts."
The dawn or origin of a Vortigaunt can be a tremendous factor in the designation of who they are and what they have as goals. Yet time and time again this remains a neglected aspect of the fundamentals of Vortigaunts. To assist in this process, readers can fine some example origin locations as well as some history from the old world in which readers can utilize when building upon their own characters.
The Duvan'Merda Region: A rocky region of dry landscapes and abstract vegetation. The home to some of the finest artisans of the Old World. A typical population pool. Vortigaunts here tend to have darker skin tones, yellow and brown shades of color. Known far and wide for being traders and skilled in the way of fashioning armor and trinkets.
The Es'Penoid Rapids: A moist and silky set of swamps and bodies of water. The Vortigaunts here are all too familiar with wading through thick waters. Dawning shades of grey/blue for skin tones, these creatures live high above in the tree-tops above the liquid rapids below. Holders of much knowledge from the ways of old, they are cartographers, language bearers, and above all, teachers. Kin both new and old pay annual visits to these lands to partake in rituals of knowledge and the spawning of new Vortigaunts.
The Ralsheck'Va Plains: Often referred to as the land that makes Warriors, a group of savage yet respectable hunters that live off the vast lands of the region.. Known for its wide landscapes and hostile creatures, these plain forge the best of vortesssence users into cunning warriors. Natives here dawn rough shades of lime green flesh tones and dawn a plethora of battle scars. They are often visited by other clans in need of food during times of hardship, for they often carry a surplus.
The Ooz'Merian Realm: One of the largest and oldest documented areas of the old world. A vast forest of lush green trees and bright vegetation. Vortigaunts of all skill calibers flock to and are spawned in this place of humble origin. The resting home for the old, and the gateway for the new, this is the place of your most typical looking and acting Vortigaunts.
Surely there must be an easier way to establish my character and the dynamic they would have with a tribe/clan? There is.
Before you resides a simple checklist that can be used in the making of your own tribe/clan from the old world that you intend to either leave in your character biography or bring in game to the server on Earth.
| Clan/Tribe Status | Loyalty | Vortessence Bond | Stance on Humanity | Leaders | Founding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alive/Active | Independent/Other | Connected | Allied | Singular | Old World |
| Disbanded | Combine | Unconnected | Hostile | Multiple | Xen |
| Missing | Nihilanth | Mix | Neutral | None | Earth |
The ways in which you go about successfully establishing your very own Clan or Collective of Vortigaunt players remains largely up to you. However, it is the Hope and desire that this particular guide will invoke a sense of creativity associated with your efforts to establish your very own Vortigaunt Related Group. I encourage players to Step Beyond The Standard "We dislike the Combine so we must unite" Dynamic that we have come to see far too often. Willard is a unique platform in which we have the option of exploring for more intricate opportunities that other servers and base Half-Life games do not allow us to do. Take advantage of this and make something special. It will be well worth the effort.
Remember the Freedom of Roleplay Rule:
"We want to offer you as much creative freedom as possible while maintaining a base level of quality control. You decide your own backstory, development, and direction. We expect you to use this freedom responsibly and not abuse it at the cost of other players' experience. We grant freedoms so you can contribute to the overall roleplay of the server in a positive way."
Thanks for reading.
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