Vortigaunt Megathread (OLD)

[TheDeNuke]

(This guide was originally written by Chris)

Introduction​

In this thread, you'll find all the relevant information you will need in order to learn about the Vortigaunt Faction on Willard Networks. The information in this thread is considered the bare essentials and does not necessarily define the absolute limits (unless explicitly stated otherwise) nor is it intended to act as a dogmatic reference to which your character must conform to. To that end, effort has been made to keep the information contained here neutral to allow for you to better construct your own motivations for your character and to allow for creative liberty in regards to the Vortigaunt faction.

We'll also be covering common misconceptions and issues I feel the faction has historically suffered from throughout it's existence across HL2RP. Most of these issues stem from a lack of direction for the faction. Which is admittedly a difficult thing to do within the Combine-centric system which HL2RP is based around. Nonetheless, I hope this thread provides you with some interesting insight about how you might want to play your character or at the very least, open up the possibilities available to you.

Who are the Vortigaunts?​

The vortigaunts are an extra-dimensional race that have found their way to Earth as a consequence of the Resonance Cascade. They are one of - if not, the only opponents to the Combine to lose their Home-world and live to tell the tale. While this conflict happened millennia ago, those who remain on Earth still remember the cruelty and injustice they have suffered via the binding life force within all things, The Vortessence.

With their homeworld destroyed and merely a fraction of their former number. Their situation on Earth is even more desperate than humanity's. Forming an uneasy alliance with the remnants of human opposition not out of any notion of the greater good but rather as an act of necessity.

It is on this dying world, they make their desperate last stand against the combine, shoulder to shoulder with the same people who once upon a time were their enemies. While both parties understand that in-fighting will lead them both to ruin there are times when the mutual threat of the Combine just isn't enough.

Nowadays the free members of this once proud race remain ever vigilant, always watching their back for combine patrols and balancing it with the idea that their only allies may not be so friendly after all...

For the rest of them, the modern day is just another chapter in their long history with enslavement. Some accept the status quo enduring the abuse from both their masters and the people around them, who are blissfully unaware of their certain doom. Others seek for their next chance to break free of their bondage and take revenge for what both the Combine and the world has done to them.

Take these words to heart and only then, will you understand the plight of the Vortigaunts...

"The mind forgets...

Scars remember..."​

Physical Traits​

Vortigaunts are humanoids, with much of their physiology correlating with human anatomy. Their head is dominated by a large bulbous eye, with three smaller eyes resting above which enable for a large Field of vision - however, most of this vision is rather unfocused due to the nature of the eye lens, which is able to move along the entire eye's surface in order to bring an object into focus. This enables them to keep still while scanning a large cone in front of them, making them well-suited to being ambush predators. This is further aided by their eye's reflective properties, giving way to visible eyeshine which gives the impression of the eye itself glowing, this allows them to see extremely well in dark areas.

Their peripheral eyes serve to cover the unfocused periphery unable to be acutely observed by the main eye. They are sensitive to fast-approaching movement and trigger an instinctual flight response in order to move the Vortigaunt out of the way of perceived danger. Without having to think about the decision. This instinctual response goes even further - as the ocular nerves are integrated directly into the nervous system in such a manner to be able to bypass the brain and effectively pilot the Vortigaunt autonomously while their actual mind and personality is an observer to the situation until the danger has passed.

It was this instinctual mechanism that made Vortigaunts under the Nihilanth into mindless drones and heartless killing machines both unwillingly, during the early days of the Black Mesa incident and the years that followed with the constant battles between humans and Vorti-kind. It is not a voluntary function and Vortigaunts will enter this instinctual state when threatened. The Combine have conversely, suppressed this instinctual response via their slave collars, forcing them to tolerate the daily abuse they receive in servitude.

Their ears are located on the sides of their head and are not to be confused with the tubular formations on the side of their mouth, which are their nostrils. The ears are more akin to pits than a focused organ, aiming to remain attentive to the blind spots outside the already large field of vision of Vortigaunts. This makes Vortigaunts usually turn their head slightly when speaking to those in front of them, almost as if they are looking past them to something far in the distance. large empty spaces such as caverns which act as auditoriums are favoured due to their hearing where quieter sounds are amplified much more.

The mouth of a Vortigaunt is a rather large cavernous construct. Their teeth serving more to aid in crushing fibrous plant matter or softening up large chunks of meat. With a preference for meat due to it's high energy value, Vortigaunts are able to swallow large palm sized chunks of meat whole, proportioned to the amount their central feeding arm is able to grab and tear from the bone comfortably. It should be noted, Vortigaunts do not enjoy eating with company, with the sole exception of other Vortigaunts who will protect them during their relaxed moment of eating. It is a compulsive behaviour and while it can be overcome out of sheer will. Most will choose not to do so.

Their lips are rather large and extend down when relaxed in order to cover their teeth and mouth from the elements. It is because of this - Vortigaunts can linger on some phrases in human language as their lips are too cumbersome to manoeuvre this can make them linger on certain phrases but this often is a problem on the individual level and not a universal problem.

Their other physical features are more closely intertwined to their connection to the Vortessence. The things they hear, smell, taste and even touch can evoke surges of emotions depending on the circumstances. This extends from the mundane such as food to powerful aromas such as the antlion extract, which evokes feelings of grandeur and empowerment. This can also extend to individual people, who's odour can change a Vortigaunt's attitude and perception of them depending on the vortal links associated with them.

Vortigaunts are agile, they make excellent climbers due to their long arms and digitigrade legs. Allowing them to leap across large gaps and grapple their way to higher elevations. Despite their muscular physique they fall short in terms of endurance, as they are unable to sweat and vent excess heat, resulting in short bursts of activity. This makes humans able to outrun Vortigaunts, provided they can keep pace. Their arms are also tipped with three elongated fingers and have fast-growing claws on the end. These claws are unique in the sense they are designed to break off in such a way to give a razor sharp edge, finer than any metallic blade. This lets them cut through flesh with ease and even punch their way through even tough materials like kevlar. The downside of this is that the relatively fragility of their claws makes melee Combat more of a last resort but a deadly one at that.

Psychology​

The average intelligence of a Vortigaunt falls short of the average human, resting around a solid 80 to 90 on the IQ scale. This means that individually they are not suited to intellectual pursuits but rather, their sophistication and intelligence stems from their Vortal connections. Acting as a shared well of memories ensuring each individual has access the same knowledge, should they be able to detect those mental links. While often times this might not be as overt as knowing everything another Vortigaunt has seen. This often manifests as a instinctual understanding of the purpose and function of various objects. A gun for example, is known to be a deadly weapon - even if the actual mechanics of it's exact operation are unknown.

It should be noted, that while Vortigaunt intelligence while initially lower than the average human's will as they advance through their incredibly long lives slowly increase and surpass a human's. As the knowledge they gain from the Vortessence and their deeper submersion within it allow them to access more vortal connections and increase their power. With these new connections, new ideas and strategies to face the world with.

Vortigaunt personalities often times seem to meld into a single uniform personality however this is merely a result of all vortigaunts reaching their maturity and conforming to a single end-point to which they have gathered much of the collective knowledge of the vortessence. In recent times and especially after being in close proximity with humans. The individual personalities of the humans around the vortigaunts has given way to diversify their own personalities on a individual level. This can lead to occasional discord between them as the reflections of the people they have been with manifest themselves.

Side-effects of this mimicry can result in: unique talking patterns, strange obsessions and a more individualistic outlook on life. For the older of them, this melting pot of personalities goes mostly un-noticed but for the younger and subsequently, more impressionable among them it can have a drastic effect on their future mental growth. The reason for this dynamic between young and old is due to the heavy influence of emotions on the vortigaunt's psyche. Older and more mature vortigaunts have tamed their eccentric sides and thus seem more reserved and uniform. While the younger and more sporadic of them latch onto their emotions, which make the events they come across in their life more impactful in shaping their personality.

Unguarded emotional outbursts from Vortigaunts are rare but no unheard of, leading many to outwardly appear rather calm and reserved but their true feelings are known to any present vortigaunt company. As their mental links through the vortessence enable a vortigaunt to feel the emotions and intentions of another vortigaunt close by. This uniquely manifests itself by effectively nullifying the ability to lie or deceive another vortigaunt in any capacity (except through indirect written communication). As they will instinctually know they are being untruthful or neglecting to mention certain details. Ultimately the Vortigaunt's ability to feel both their own emotions and the emotions of the Vortigaunts around them causes many of them to become amplified to tremendous levels be it blind fury or great sorrow. Caution is advised to those who interact with a Vortigaunt who does not appear to have emotions, as it suggests a low to near non-existent investment in learning human cultural norms.

Manipulation & Energies​

Vortal Manipulation is the act of using Vortal Energies to physically affect the world around them. It manifests itself as green aura and is the signature trademark of a Vortigaunt. Techniques are learned instinctually, even to newly created vortigaunts so basic manipulation of vortal energies and thus it's perks will gradually open up as vortigaunt submerses themselves deeper within the vortessence.

A vortigaunt does not necessarily require mastery of vortal manipulation in order to submerse themselves in the Vortessence as it is more akin to a learned skill which requires practice and training. However submersion in the Vortessence is required in order to draw upon the power needed to perform the much greater feats capable via the use of Manipulation.

Manipulation in layman's terms can be defined as anything that involves the alteration of physical matter. With the right circumstances they can break the fabric of reality, able to vanish from thin air and even cheat death itself.

• Vortibolt - A very basic ability that all vortigaunts naturally learn. The vortigaunt draws in raw vortal energies, before redirecting it into an electric bolt that is capable of electrifying and singing targets. It is usually nearly fatal to all who are struck by it save for those in heavier armor that can hold off its singing effects. Death is usually caused by mass organ failure. Stronger forms of this can lead to explosive results.
• Lantern - Another basic ability which involves focusing vortal energy into a small orb of raw energy. This creates a bright, green glow that can illuminate an area around it. Greater forms of this can have a vortigaunt create a brighter orb, or leave it suspended in the air, sustaining itself until the vortigaunt stops focusing on its continued existence.
• Vortikinesis - An inherent ability learned by all vortigaunts. The vortigaunt manipulates the vortal energies around an object, raising it into the air, which it can then maneuver where it needs, or throw with excessive force. Greater forms of this ability involve the vortigaunt lifting multiple objects, or much larger objects.
• Repulse - An intermediate ability that usually requires practice. The vortigaunt gathers vortessence into a fist, before slamming it into the ground. This creates a shockwave of vortal energy that throws back anyone around the vortigaunt, causing slight electrical trauma and heavy blunt trauma from pressure. Stronger forms of this can repulse with a greater force, and cover a larger area.
• Weld/Unweld - Another learned ability. The vortigaunt can interact with the vortal energy that flows through an object, and use it to literally split and combine matter. This can be used to weld material together, or split it at an atomic level. Stronger forms of this can have a vortigaunt literally break apart the entire composition of a material into dust, or form entirely new objects with vortal energies.
• Vortal Shield - The vortigaunt refines raw vortal energy into a barrier. This barrier repels anything that hits it, constantly replenishing itself via vortal energy so long as the vortigaunt sustains it. Stronger forms of this can repel much greater forces, and can form entire force fields over larger areas.
• Healing - A vortigaunt is capable of mending organic flesh in the same way they can meld. This is usually a naturally learned ability, but not until the vortigaunt is older in age. Lesser forms of this can heal small cuts and bruises. An experienced vortigaunt can heal larger cuts and wounds. This ability cannot bring back the dead however...

Some stronger, more powerful abilities that are less common include:

• Mortal Cord Reformation - The mortal cord attaches all creatures to consciousness and the living. Known as "resurrection" by humans, vortigaunts can literally bring back the dead- with a catch... Vortigaunts can only bring back those who have only been dead for less than a few hours, are not brain dead, and won't immediately die after being resurrected. Lesser forms of this have a vortigaunt able to sustain the mortal cord so as to prolong the time period to which this ability can be used. This usually requires the presence of multiple vortigaunts, and often the larval extract for deeper vortessence submersion.
• Teleportation - Teleportation is another incredibly difficult ability that requires deep submersion within the vortessence to use as well as two vortigaunts if they are transporting someone else. The vortigaunts can manipulate the distance between one place and another, creating an infinitely small tunnel between one area and another that the vortigaunts traverse through. This can give the perception of the target literally "shrinking" out of reality and "expanding" at their target location. This also requires a clear vision of the target location.
• Time Halt - One of the most powerful abilities, the vortigaunts are capable of literally halting time itself. A grand ritual, multiple vortigaunts must constantly sustain the state of halted time, in which other vortigaunts can maneuver through. They are also able to draw targets out of the freeze, manoeuvring outside of time. This action is not noticed by non-vortigaunts save for those they target. To the observing eye, the ritual only lasts a few seconds, with no movement whatsoever. Those performing the ritual cannot themselves move through time, but they are able to target other vortigaunts who will be free of the effect.

While Vortal energy is limitless, the physical limits of a vortigaunt to manipulate it is not. Long periods of using vortal abilities will begin to exhaust a vortigaunt and they will need to take time to rest and recover through meditation and / or rest. Concentration is also critical factor in the manipulation of vortal energies, for without proper care drawing in untamed energy could prove fatal. Especially if the vortigaunt in question is injured or debilitated in some way through starvation they won't be able to concentrate enough to use their abilities safely.

Failure to abide by these precautionary measures can result in a "Backlash" where the vortal energy rebounds back into the vortigaunt's body and can (while rare) cause instant death but more likely has the chaotic energy pass through their body causing a debilitating amount of pain and drain their physical stamina. This energy can also move outwards, potentially injuring those nearby.

There is another aspect known as "Vortal Encumberance" where a vortigaunt uses a large amount of energy without the proper preparations or adequate practise can perform the feat but it will leave them extremely fatigued with a headache and aching body and it will take some time to recover and be able to use any vortal abilites again.

You as a vortigaunt player are free to create any vortal ability so long as it is not beyond the manipulation of physical matter. Ask yourself: "Can it be done through the manipulation of particles that are present near me?" If the answer is yes, you can submit your request and propose your ability for use and if accepted will be added onto your character as an admin tag for future GMs to see. Metaphysical manipulation (stuff equal to freezing time or teleportation) is not allowed, and must be premade by the vortigaunt leads. Do keep in mind that repeated use of an ability you made, especially one that is more powerful may require additional authorization.

Vortal Submersion & Nullification

This is how ingrained a Vortigaunt is within the Vortessence and it is required that a vortigaunt submerge themselves within the vortessence in order to learn new abilities and master the art of manipulation. This is a key aspect to remember since a vortigaunt may lose their connection to the Vortessence in a process known as nullification or vortal nulling. In this state, a vortigaunt retains the knowledge on how to perform the abilities from before their nullification but are thereon unable to learn new techniques, since their connection to the vortessence and thus, their ability to learn new vortal abilities, is now cut off.

All healthy vortigaunts naturally become more submerged in the vortessence the older they are but there are various techniques that have been devised to increase one's level of vortal submersion. These practices include: Meditation, Harmonic singing with other Vortigaunts and group activities requiring teamwork, such as a hunt.

Thanks to this mental link however, every Vortigaunt will instantly know the name of other vortigaunts they see or hear and depending how well submerged the involved parties are they can even share memories of certain events, if a Vortigaunt is retelling a story for instance. A Vortigaunt cannot however, reference another Vortigaunt they have never met. Practically, this will involve using the F3 command to other Vortigaunts you see in-game.

The main takeaway is that submersion is required to learn new abilities but having your vortal tether nullified does not prevent you from manipulating Vortal energies and using abilities you previously learned.

The Vortessence​

Here at Willard Networks, the Vortessence strictly refers to the mental link and it is through the vortessence that all vortigaunts are connected. This connection is essentially a psychic aura that all living things share but Vortigaunts, being the most in tune with it, have strange side-effects such as the inability to lie to one another and a strong sense of belonging with other Vortigaunts.

This connection also compels vortigaunts to avoid killing each other when possible, since by killing another vortigaunt they would damage themselves also, they would feel the pain they inflict upon another vortigaunt. They can however, hold rivalries and disapprove of another Vortigaunt creating unique social schisms as uninvolved Vortigaunts skirt around or take sides in the rivalry. Overt damage done through hindering their rivals is highly unlikely as any mention of the event thereon would instantly reveal the true culprit. It is a battle of ideas primarily and for that reasons Vortigaunts may devise unique rituals to decide a victor over an issue.

Vortigaunts who do overtly attack other vortigaunts are branded "savages" and are usually exiled from the company of their own kind and should they ever strike again, hunted down and eliminated. For a vortigaunt who attacks another vortigaunt is inherently lacking in the proper vortal cords and thus, they are not "true" vorti-kind.

As mentioned previously, the Vortessence is heavily intertwined with the language of the vortigaunts, known as Vortigese also referred to as Flux-Shifting It is the only native langauge of the Vortigaunts which all of them have an instinctual understanding of. Unlike human languages it has certain attributes which make it such a unique form of communication. Vortigaunts communicating via Flux-Shifting speak words which are charged with emotional intent. This allows other Vortigaunts to infer both their emotional and contextual meaning. This prevents vortigaunts from deceiving each other. The deception extends to all human languages and thus, a vortigaunt will be able to know if another Vortigaunt is being sincere or insincere. This happens even if another Vortigaunt does not know the human language spoken.

Another fact to note about Vortigese is due to the emotionally charged nature, concepts such as sarcasm are completely lost, due to the aforementioned aspect of sincerity and therefore a Vortigaunt can easily deduce whether a Vortigaunt is acting friendly, aggressive or passive. They understand each other on an emotional level in a way humans could never hope to achieve and it is this understanding that helps keep them united.

Below you can find an illustration of The Vortessence



Biotics
Biotics are the term given to vortigaunts that have been enslaved by the Combine. Where as citizens are put to work, they at least are capable of progressing in society, and being rewarded for their efforts while living a semi-decent life. Biotics however, have been given the short end of the stick, both due to their inherently dangerous nature and past affairs on their homeworld.

Biotics are considered to be "second class citizens" by many. They live in their own quarters, and receive their own rations, but are far more restricted in their freedom. They fall under even more laws, such as never using their real name, and prohibiting the use of vortigese. Instead of names, they must use their biotic ID, which includes their title, their city, and their identification number [Your randomly assigned CID number on the card in game.] This info is only seen by dispatch for further data categorization and records management.

All biotics are placed in biotic collars to suppress vortal manipulation, and placed in shackles to limit their bodily behavior. Biotics are essentially a secondary workforce that is always meant to be performing labor. They are given very brief periods of relaxation to eat and socialize, but are usually bossed around constantly. They attend every work cycle, and are often seen being barked at by civil protection to clean the streets, such as picking up trash, wiping windows, and sweeping. Citizen collaborators, the loyalists of the Combine, may also be able to order a biotic to perform work, and may even take one as a personal assistant if the Civil Protection can spare one, and the collaborator is of proper tier.

Past the work, biotics are treated very poorly. They are often used as punching bags by both citizens who still hold anti-vortigaunt views, and civil protection who simply want to bully and antagonize. Furthermore, the Combine government itself constantly denounces vortigaunts, labelling them as a suspicious, shifty species that could always be up to trouble, and that they should not be trusted or conversed with. This only makes their lives harder as gullible citizens and collaborators will actively avoid or even talk down on them. Citizens found talking to biotics too much or while they're working may warrant a CP member to take note, and antagonize the biotic, but not the Citizen, for harboring the discussion. Biotic quarters are also very poor, often using the poorest of buildings to house them. Their housing is often cramped and dilapidated, with poor lighting, mold, and peeling wood. Thankfully, biotics will often keep these quarters very clean, as to pass the time and make their lives a little better.

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.

Some biotics have simply given up however, serving endlessly as they feel they are destined to be enslaved until either a miracle happens, or their body simply gives up and dies. Other biotics though have hope. They either take an optimistic stance as to remain happy, or they are constantly planning on a way to escape and be free once again.

Biotic Collars

The manipulation of vortal energies is incredibly dangerous to the Combine. Essentially a natural weapon, they were quick to immediately place collars on vortigaunts that remedied this issue. These collars are locked around their neck, and made to stay on tight unless removed with Combine technology that only they possess. These collars are also unique in that they suppress the instinctual reflexes of a vortigaunt, preventing them from becoming mindless drones and effectively forcing them to tolerate their constant abuse. This often makes vortigaunts who have been in enslavement for a prolonged period of time, more cunning and manipulative.

These collars are not exactly uncomfortable, but their goal is not to cause casual discomfort, but instead to repulse. Vortigaunts are normally capable of manipulating the vortal energies that constantly surround them. These collars are designed to separate the link between vortigaunts and this energy. Effectively, the only vortal energy that vortigaunts possess is that which is among them, and this is far too little to do anything with.

Collars also come built in with identification chips tailored to each vortigaunt, containing their identification number, which is used to pull up their data, as well as be recognized by Dispatch. When a vortigaunt is found to be resisting against the Combine, such as fighting back against apprehension or trying to escape, all that Dispatch needs is a confirmation on a collar via observation to cause a "Biotic Overload". This is when the function of the collar is reversed to dangerous levels. The collar will force the vortigaunt into drawing in a massive amount of vortal energy that it cannot handle, which in turns begins to shock the vortigaunt, causing extreme pain and sapping them of their stamina. This almost always incapacitates the vortigaunt in question.

Biotic collars can also be removed, though it is not an easy process. It usually requires either very crafty handiwork to delicately pry open the lock upon it, or good electronic skills to convince the collar to simply pop off. If not done right, either due to working too quickly or because of lack of skill, the collar could send out an alert to dispatch, alerting the civil protection of a potential biotic trying to escape. It is common for another vortigaunt who is freed to be there, as they can convince the collar that it is working as intended, even if it isn't, buying them more time.

Biotic Shackles and Physical Limitations

Vortigaunts as a species are naturally athletic. Naturally evolved hunters, they have incredible strength and acrobatic capability, and are all in all very dangerous. To address this, the Combine have a number of methods they use to limit the biotic, so that it cannot outmaneuver the Civil Protection, or try to fight back against them as effectively.

The most common method of limitation is the "Biotic Shackles". These are metal braces and links that buckle tightly around the limbs and torso area. Not only can these have chains attached to them to literally hold the biotic somewhere, but they also act as movement suppressors, causing great pain to vortigaunts who attempt to use their athletic abilities. Jumping causes pain through the legs and feet. Swinging their arms too fast can cause further jolts of pain, and generally turning or twisting too fast can also cause discomfort to run through their body. This can prove to be very detrimental as they are uncomfortable even during work related activities, to which the Combine do not care for their comfort.

Biotic shackles, like the collar, can be removed if pried on enough, and will not set off alarms. It is simply a matter of civil protection finding a biotic without all the proper shackles that will warrant apprehension, interrogation, and heavy punishment. Along with collars though are fake shackles. These are collars that have the same outward appearance when worn, but lack many of their internal workings such as fasteners and mobility inhibitors. These can appear to be functioning collars that don't inhibit the vortigaunt at all.

It should be mentioned that vortigaunts in most cities are underfed, usually only getting extra food should they perform well. This often leads to malnourishment, which in turn leads to less stamina, weaker muscles that tear more easily (making movement even harder), and pitiful strength. Along with this state, their claws, both on their feet and hands, are routinely clipped and shaved down to keep them dull. This makes it hard for them to climb objects, and also makes their claws practically harmless against enemies.

Biotic Harvesting
Used as both a form of punishment and necessity during emergencies, the Combine are capable of literally drawing the vortal energies from a biotic. Vortal energy, when siphoned, is incredibly powerful and capable of powering vast swathes of infrastructure. An entire block can be powered by one or two vortigaunts being harvested.

This process is simple, yet often uncomfortable and even painful after long periods of time. The biotic is placed into a pod that is attached to a siphon, their shackles and collar hooked into it. As their body locks in place, a syringe is injected into their back, as a chemical is pumped into their body which keeps them sedated yet constantly drawing in energy. After that, once the biotic isn't conscious enough to focus, the collar is deactivated and they are allowed to gather vortal energy.

Once the biotic has gathered enough energy, the siphon activates, very quickly pulling all the energy out of the biotic as they are used as a conduit. This process is described as uncomfortable, like your muscles are going very sore. After a while however, it begins to hurt, feeling as if little pricks are stabbing you all over your body like hot needles. The Combine leave biotics like this for hours at a time, and in some instances, as long as a day. After 24 hours, the process begins to turn very dangerous both from overworking the biotic and the chemical drip lasting too long. Eventually, if left inside for too long, the vortigaunt will die from sudden onset mass organ failure, or enter a coma. When a biotic leaves a pod, they often must take a moment to recollect themselves, and regain their energy. The chemical is, fortunately, metabolized very quickly without a drip and will fade within a few minutes of release.

After their due is up, they are taken out, given a very brief rest period, usually a night of sleep, and then they are put back to work. The Civil Protection of course are not always kind, and may put them back to work early, or may even put them right back in the pod after their rest period.

Vortal Nulling
Unlike most other punishments, this is by far seen as the worst punishment a vortigaunt can receive. Vortal Nulling is a procedure the Combine carry out on a vortigaunt which involves drilling into the brain, and implanting cybernetics that quite literally strip the vortigaunt of the vortessence. This process is permanent, and can almost never be reversed without killing the vortigaunt in the process. Furthermore, the procedure isn't always successful, either killing the vortigaunt anyways, or if the vortigaunt is lucky, not fully suppressing the vortessence.

No matter the reason, this process, also called "drilling", is a fate that some vortigaunts would rather die than suffer from. Without the vortessence, vortigaunts are not really vortigaunts. A few grave changes after drilling are:

• - Inability to recall vortessence memories and knowledge as they are no longer connected.
• 
  
• - Inability to communicate properly through vortigese, now sounding like a human would, as well as being unable to understand it properly. This makes them unable to communicate in their own language, and thus unable to ever truly socialize with their own kind ever again.

- Inability to return to the "all-in-one" upon death.

• - Inability to feel the vortal signature and essence of another vortigaunt, as well as be felt. Because of this, a vortigaunt never feels quite like other vortigaunts anymore, and other vortigaunts see them as weird and odd, as they cannot feel them.

This usually results in a vortigaunt who is isolated from their own kind, and often begins to adopt many weird behaviors that they aren't used to having, such as being overly emotive and personified through normal human speech. The implants can also cause temporary mental issues such as brain fog, headaches, and general pain from time to time. So horrible is this fate, that some vortigaunts simply end their own lives, unable to go on as they can't even be considered a true vortigaunt anymore. Others carry on, but never cope with it, constantly in a state of hopelessness and disconnect. Fortunately, some vortigaunts who suffer this punishment learn to keep their optimism, and while they may have weird, smaller ways of coping, they usually continue to live their lives as happily as can be.

What this procedure does not do is nullify vortal manipulation. Vortigaunts are still capable of manipulating vortal energies so long as their collar is deactivated or gone. This is because the process doesn't nullify what they knew before. They still hold the knowledge they had acquired, and vortigaunts will almost always continue to sympathize with them, usually with a sense of great sorrow for their nulled kin. A common word has arisen from ancient vortigaunt culture to describe drilled vortigaunts that was used to describe the rare vortigaunts who were born without the vortessence, known as "Husks".

In some cases, the implants do not work as intended once activated. This can result in either a minor sense of vortessence, or a complete cut with random moments of sudden connection that can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

The Suppression Field
For a while, the Combine did not have a suppression field on Earth. This led to a period where free vortigaunts were beginning to rapidly reproduce in the outlands. But in secret, the Combine had their own plans. There were not many vortigaunts left, and while the Combine may see vortigaunts as a threat, they are a very useful tool for both power, and promises of future implementation via transvortification. To help form more loyal vortigaunts, or at least vortigaunts who did not know freedom, the Combine launched a project in a secret facility with the goal of replenishing vortigaunts. This process involved taking nearling a hundred thousand vortigaunts, keeping them in a medically induced coma, siphoning their energy, and then artificially creating vortigaunts. This went on for around five to six years, creating approximately 45.6 million viable vortigaunts by the end, before the facility was mysteriously lost, the hundreds of thousands of vortigaunts there suddenly disappearing along with the entire facility, the area now kept under heavy patrol and classification. Almost no one save for the upper Combine and select few knew of its existence, as vortigaunts who were spawned there were immediately collared, shackled, and sent off to cities. These vortigaunts may not be loyal so to say (though it is possible) due to the vortessence, but they have never known freedom, seeing the Combine as simply part of their purpose in life, and what they are meant to be. This created a population of much more docile vortigaunts in the long run that are now dispersed amongst multiple cities.

After its destruction, the suppression field was raised shortly after. While the suppression field's primary purpose is to limit enzyme production for human reproduction, it also has a secondary function of preventing the merging of vortessence, a process that is unique to the vortigaunt spawning rituals. This was a sorrowful moment for vortigaunts, though some considered it for the better considering the state of the world.



Vortigaunt Faction Rules and Tips
To ensure the quality of the vortigaunt faction, in applying to become a vortigaunt and being accepted, you agree to these rules that you must follow while on your vortigaunt character. Failure to do so will result in a warning, followed by a re-evaluation of your whitelist, followed by the removal of your whitelist. Obviously, if you have any questions as to how these rules work, you may ask at any time before or after acceptance. We'd rather you ask before you break them on accident. Please understand that while there may seem to be a lot of rules, it is because we are trying to uphold a higher standard for vortigaunt roleplay. They have been designed to cover issues, but not be hard or difficult to follow at all. It's based on common sense.

Vortigaunt Faction Rules
General

1. Fail RP as a vortigaunt entails carrying out roleplay that doesn't make sense given vortigaunt lore. Know the lore that applies to you and the situation. If you have questions pertaining to lore, ask the vortigaunt lead(s) or message the vortigaunt channel on Discord.
2. The most critical example of lore is that of attacking other Vortigaunts. Read the section on the Vortessence carefully and contact the Faction Leads before overtly attacking another Vortigaunt as there will likely be IC consequences for attempting to do so (Savage).
3. There is absolutely no justification to attack another Vortigaunt overtly without IC consequences unless that Vortigaunt had already been attacking other Vortigaunts overtly.
4. You are expected to have proper grammar and spelling at all times when roleplaying, as per the vortigaunt standard that you are held up to in your acceptance as a vortigaunt. Your grammar and spelling do not have to be immaculate or expert level, but it should show that you can properly roleplay deeper, more intricate topics and subjects should they occur.
5. You are still held to the same rules as all other players. Breaking general rules is a very fast way to get your whitelist revoked.
6. While you have access to the vortessence, this is not a means to metagame. Follow what the lore entails, and ask if you are unsure about something.
7. Any voice chat on discord is not for talking about stuff happening IC in the moment. This is metagame and will not be allowed.
8. You are not allowed to use traditional human guns as a vortigaunt unless they have been specifically crafted for your use, usually requiring GM approval.
9. Keep a serious OOC attitude when playing vortigaunts. Minging on your Vortigaunt is a one way ticket off the whitelist.
10. Don't be rude to others when things aren't going exactly how you want.
11. Fear RP is still a must. While vortigaunts may not exactly fear death, the Combine have punishments that vortigaunts would still fear. Biotics would naturally have an aversion to harvesting and be absolutely terrified at the suggestion of having their vortessence taken. Enslavement as a free vortigaunt is also something they would fear.
12. Faction lead word is final. Please understand that the rules do not cover all possible circumstances, and there may be cases where a rule can be waived for the sake of RP, or extra limitations may be imposed in the moment for the sake of good roleplay or to prevent issues.
13. Do not use slang unless it is learned through roleplay. Vortigaunts are not naturally predisposed to using slang such as "dude, bro, ya" or vulgar language. This rule may be waived depending on the type of character you have and their backstory.
14. Do not leak information that is stored in the vortessence in OOC. This is considered metagame.
15. If your vortigaunt has their vortessence nulled, you should roleplay accordingly. You may also not use info in the vortessence in this case.
16. Your Vortigese Name is not comprehensible to humans or nulled Vortigaunts. You can use it in full between other (non-nulled) Vortigaunts, but you will either have to use a severely reduced version or a nickname when describing yourself to humans.

Biotics

1. Do not attempt to free yourself without faction lead or CM approval. Approval can be acquired via private application once applications for free vorts are opened. You will fail IC if you try to free yourself without approval. (This does not mean you can't take part in rebellious activity as a biotic)
2. You are not allowed to use vortal manipulation while you are a biotic, save for when you are being freed (with proper approval of course).
3. Active and Willing Collaboration with the Combine in any way including Snitching (and being caught doing it) will result in you being deemed a Savage. You are still permitted to collaborate with the Combine for your own survival (unwilling) but any action which actively damages either the resistance our your fellow kin is seen as a action which will automatically give you the status of a savage.

Free Vortigaunts

1. Do not pull vortigaunt powers that aren't on the list unless you have it approved by GMs for a single use or it is authorized for constant use by faction leads.
2. Do not pull random attacks on combine forces without GM approval and at least one FL being aware of it. This is defined as attacking them at a completely mundane time and place for the sake of looting or simply killing. This does not apply to self defense, or situations that may be exposed to an attack such as speeches and moments of vulnerability.
3. Unless Combine Forces have items that are critical to the needs of Vortigaunts. You should not attack units for items/scripts unless in support of a human rebel operation doing so (aka don't randomly attack units for items without humans instigating it first).

Vortigaunt Faction Advice
The following are not rules, but simply advice to help with your vortigaunt roleplay.

- Exploit the fact Vortigaunts exist outside human cultural norms to help create situations where you may come to blows with other characters.

- The Vortigaunt faction is better when you assume less about how they should act. Create a character, who merely happens to be a Vortigaunt. I personally welcome unique ideas which deviate from the norm and should you wish to try this, be sure to mention it in your application.

• - Never ever be afraid to ask questions OOC, no matter how implicative or "stupid" they may sound. We'd rather you ask questions then do something wrong and have to get warned for it. You can always DM the faction leads.
• 
  
• - Don't be afraid to make a point about the lore or the rules. We are open to suggestions.
• 
  
• - Try to avoid being secluded for too long, we will even help you if the means are difficult.
• 
  
• - While you aren't required to use vortessence knowledge, we encourage you to do so. It can help your RP as well as the RP of others.

Common Mistakes

- The Lack of Understanding of Currency

Vortigaunts, are not ignorant to the practice of trade and exchange and currency in any shape or form is merely an extension of that practice. However this has lead some players down the path of becoming entirely focused on becoming green-skinned traders instead of an actual character. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with entrenching yourself with skills for anti-citizens. Remember that these skills if used improperly can have a long lasting impact which can even come back to hurt you in the end. When engaging in trade, especially when approached unsolicited by a stranger. Keep in mind of what they might do and whether they can truly be trusted with your talents or whether they might prove a risk to you or your allies in the long run.

With the emphasis on scavenging on Willard Networks, I understand that trade will be a necessity to survive in any meaningful capacity and I will not hinder you should you wish to expand those skills. Just remember that you are there to play a character, first and foremost.

- The Mystic

Old and wise vortigaunts are what we are accustomed to and you are forgiven if you wish to base your first vortigaunt character off the behaviours we see in the half-life games. However the problem stems from different vortigaunt characters blurring together with the same personalities which in turn, makes people outside of the faction paint all vortigaunts with the same brush.

I highly encourage for you to create your own personality for your vortigaunt. Personality flaws are a good way to change your playstyle and put you into conflcit with other players which in turn, makes them want to interact with you or react more prominently to your presence. Do not be afraid to deviate from the norm as I, and others am interested in your character first and foremost. Make them memorable.

If you struggle to create a personality outside of gameplay, perhaps seek out a morally ambiguous group and side with them and simply ret-con your motivations to align your character with their ideology. From there, things will fall into place on their own.

While I do not discourage you from playing a mystic type, keep in mind the trope has worn itself out over the years. Keep this in mind when playing.

I should also add, if your character idea is "out there" you are free to ask any of the leads about it and if there is any issues we can work on them together. Never be afraid to ask.

- Man's Best Friend

Vortigaunts and Humanity have had a troubled history but that is the least of your concerns as a vortigaunt. It is an absolute certainty that most civilians (lore wise anyway) are fearful of you or outright wish your enslavement or death as revenge for the consequences of the Resonance Cascade. In this circumstance, it might be reasonable to think that doing good on the behalf of your human companions is a way to counteract this bad karma of sorts.

While humanity fights for their planet and survival, they are blissfully unaware of the full extent of the combine empire. Vortigaunts fought this war and have seen the consequences should they fail on this planet. It is this knowledge of the past that allows vortigaunts to overlook the crimes committed against them by humanity, as in-fighting will ultimately assure the extinction of both parties. That being said, remember your loyalty lay with your race first and you should do everything in your power to ensure their safety. This includes coming into conflict with humans, should circumstance be right.

While all life is sacred, sometimes hatred proves stronger. Never be afraid to stray from the picturesque ideal and instead delve into the gritty reality of the Half-life Universe.

By pursuing an agenda which puts vortigaunts first it allows for more interesting situations to arise. How do you balance the loyalty to your race, to the allies you made along the way?

Ultimately, only the survival of the vortigaunt race matters.

- The Speech Impediment

A lot of newer players, as stated previously wish to emulate the vortigaunts we see from the games, hence they use phrases such as "Thisss one" and generally make their text more cumbersome to read than it needs to be. Most players who play the game mode are fully aware of what a common vortigaunt sounds like and thus there is little need to emphasis this. If you truly wish to bring attention to your speech pattern, consider the use of the /me command in conversation like so:

/me replies, with a raspy voice "We are thankful to you, Lisa - for your kindness..." He immediately wheezes, breaking into a quiet coughing fit.

From this line alone, the other player you are interacting with may be able to infer that you are severely dehydrated and offer you a drink or generally continue the interaction. Trust me when I say that unless you must bring attention to an action such as to allow other players to react or to highlight something nearby a /me is often unnecessary and you simply make more work for yourself.

- The Obedient Slave

Being a slave, is terrible. You get told what to do and are generally pushed around by those who think they're your betters. While obedience is demanded of you, small subtle resistance can go a long way to make an interaction more interesting. Try not to give Civil Protection a free ride and instead make them work for your servitude or perhaps seek out means you can damage the Combine during your duties. If the Combine kill you, it is a victory. Do not fear death.

- Lack of Goal

The biggest pitfall I see with vortigaunt characters is that they never seem to create their own motivations and thus, have trouble in finding a meaning to their character when their beginning places them in a position where they want for no material gain. For most, this lack of material progression stops most people dead and leads to massive inactivity when there is so much more to be done. Without having to worry about problems such as spores, weapons and armour. The door opens to you to pursue a motivation entirely of your own making...

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.

You MUST create a long-term goal for your character. For biotics, most players are tricked into thinking their long-term goal is freedom and that is fine should they wish to shelve the character at the end of that story arc but if you are free, think of the reason WHY you are choosing to live right under the Combine's nose, risking your life every day. There needs to be a powerful reason and perhaps you can work with other players to create this story arc through character authorizations.

Here are some examples of motivations a free vortigaunt might have which could provide long-term stability:

- An old friend you saved from the horrors of the outlands before the seven hour war was later taken to a combine city and since then, have risen to a prominent position, despite the warnings of your kin that they are lost you still believe that the person you saved long ago, still lives inside them. You go here now, to save them from the greatest monster of all: The Combine... (Best to use character auths for this one or contact an existing prominent character to see if they want to integrate you into their story)

A great story for any vortigaunt, the resistance will most likely naturally oppose you. Putting your goals firmly outside what the resistance wants to do and instead your goals are entirely your own story.

- Hearing about the myriad of resistance groups within the city. You seek to mediate between them and put a stop the senseless in-fighting.

Sounds deceptively simple but this goal would force you to put yourself in harm's way and interject yourself into the business of the resistance. Some people might not appreciate this and thus conflict is inevitable. Do you stay impartial and true to your mission? Or do you pick a side?

- The world outside is dangerous for humanity - men, women even children were not safe from the xenian horrors outside Combine influence. They are not safe from you. The humans must stay within their cities for their own good and you - shall see to it personally.

Another interesting one that puts you in a grey area when it comes to aiding the resistance. While your character is indeed correct, how does the resistance expect to grow if you stand as the gatekeeper to their means of building their power? You goals are good, though perhaps not the best for everyone.

There are many possible motivations for your character and you need to create these sub-narratives that can be picked up and used by players. All it takes is one idea to get someone else to make a move. Do not be afraid to create a character who could be seen as "evil" you are - after all, the hero in your own personal story.

What About The Old Megathread?

It will still exist and will serve to add additional context to the Vortigaunt faction, you will from now on be able to find it within the private vortigaunt sub-forum.

 

[TheDeNuke]

I've added a additional (hopefully temporary) rule in regards to healing.

 

[TheDeNuke]

- The Old Wise Vortigaunt (as a advantage)

Of course the Mystic-type character is not generally frowned upon even if we do not generally agree with you making them. However, I've noticed a tendency for individuals joining this faction to create old-wise characters as a sort of a "roleplay" advantage as if to slide into a IC leadership role.

I'm going to stop you right there.

Traditional Vortigaunt society generally does not respect anything but the most extreme Elderly Kin (ala Shaman or Grand Elders) who in their very nature have a much more strict connection to the Vortessence compared to literally all other groups. Creating a Elder for the purposes of IC respect is going to result in you being no more respected then the mostly typical Ooz'Merian Rok'Shan'Vass Adult. This is a communal society that often prioritizes individual merit over age such as in the example of the title of High Elder which in the many times it has been given throughout history has often fallen into the hands of kin that are no more elderly then a Matured Youngling.

Unless your existence has meaning, then you are nothing more then another kin of many. Another mind to be shared in the Vortessence but not ultimately remembered as anything special beyond being another body in the vastness of the Vortessence.

Prove yourself as something entirely unique, and you can be so much more.

 

[TheDeNuke]

- Nullification -

Far too many Vortigaunts have been nullified since the old rules were written back in twenty-twenty-one and due to the fact that far more Vortigaunts have been nullified then there should have been I'm now going to solidify the old vague rules regarding Nullification.

The only reasons in which you would nullify a Vortigaunt are as followed:

• - They have a lengthy and constantly growing record of disobedience or poor behavior (as a Biotic)
  - The biotic has fallen into a coma from harvesting. This procedure is found to be a potential remedy, though isn't always successful.
• - They are constantly found rallying vortigaunts under them within biotic quarters, and against the Combine (as a Biotic)
• - They are a very old, powerful vortigaunt that has been captured and made into a biotic, though this is usually only if the biotic already had a tendency to lead other vortigaunts and has acted out against the Combine (as a Biotic)
  - They have been re-enslaved at least once before (as a Freed)
  - They are a notable leader of resistance or Vortigaunt activity in the city (as a Freed)
  - They have been a known member of a known resistance operation and have been working on behalf of them (as a Freed)
  - They have attempted to escape at least one time before (they are on a second escape attempt as a Biotic).
  
  You cannot nullify a Vortigaunt if they are captured after liberation unless they have been re-enslaved at least once before or have known affiliation with active resistance operations (two strikes).
  You cannot nullify a Vortigaunt if they attempted to defend themselves prior to nullifcation (if they cause the mass death of units then they should be amputated - A singular unit is not enough).

If they have been re-enslaved two times before they they will be amputated (three strikes)
If the Vortigaunt has been previously voluntarily nullified then they will be amputated on the spot if captured (Treason).
If the Vortigaunt has committed active terrorism which has resulted in the large scale (3+) death of CP or OTA then they will be amputated on the spot.

You cannot nullify or amputate a Vortigaunt unless you have proof that the Vortigaunt has done any of the above. Vortigaunts do not have CIDs which means you'll need actual proof.

Nullifcation can only be reversed by Extract or in extremely rare instances the intervention of a scheming Grand Elder (ex. Alaska)

 

[TheDeNuke]

- About PKs -

Recently a new policy has been implemented in this faction to promote the existence of new players in the Liberated segment of this faction.

The following changes have been put in effect to ensure this:

1. All PKs for characters in the LIBERATED faction will result in immediate demotion to ENSLAVED.
2. This does not effect characters in the FREED faction.
3. To ensure that we do not go above faction cap - twelve additional SPARE enslaved slots for the exclusive use of characters that have been demoted to ENSLAVED have been added to this faction.

That is all.