For the most part, the storyline and events of the halflife saga can be found here so i do not have to explain them. With many exceptions, the author of this site believes the vortigaunts to be vague and mysterious, i believe them to be very concise if you take into account a few variables.
http://members.shaw.ca/halflifestory/
I believe his theories on Gman's origins are largely circumstantial and lack an omnicient view. My own theory on gman, i will put forth at the end, i believe the vortigaunts quote are far more interesting as they have backing.
Also, i dont entirely agree with his viewpoint on vortigaunt culture.
Here are the quotes one can get from engaging vortigaunts in game, notabley, from the airboat ride, one of the checkpoints. The one who gives you the hunter chopper pulse gun.
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We remember the Freeman. We are coterminous.
we remember you from black mesa. we have the same end. (fate)
There is no distance between us. No false veil of time or space may intervene.
What I believe he is implying here is that vortigaunts live in timelessness. When gordy was in time stasis from gman, he touched timelessness momentarily, forever binding him and the vortigaunts together at that moment. This bound cant be broken, as it has already happened, and it cannot unhappen. Because of this, Vortigaunts feel they have a kinship with gordy. (theorized with later quotes as well)
We see you still in Black Mesa. Clearly we see you in the Nihilanth's chamber.
Again, they live in timelessness, they live in the moments where gordan fought his way out of black mesa, through xen, and finally to the xen leaders chamber, the Nihilanth, that big headed final boss thing from HL1.
We bear witness to the bright eternity of the Nihilanth's demise. You leap, you fall, we see you flash beyond the barriers.
We felt as you defeated the nihilanth, that you slipped into the stasis (that binds them). that is where gman gave gordan his "time to choose."
For a brief time you joined with us. You are one. Between the worlds.
Again, this further supports that gordan joined them in timelessness briefly.
Communion of the vortessence. And the other: a deeper mystery. No deeper than the void itself.
Communion: the kinship between us. The Other: Gman, a mystery to even the timeless. (gman theory below)
We cannot forget those whose cords you cut. Forgiveness is not ours to bestow.
They cannot forget the deaths gordan caused, because they will always exist where the deaths occured. But they cannot forgive because either a. The vortigaunts were under control and will not blame gordan. or b. because they actually hate gordan and love him, and are too conflicted in their unique nature to forgive. c. it actually ISNT their place and that another must forgive him, or he must forgive himself, but id wager gordan doesnt even think he did anything wrong, as no one told him about the 10 years when he was in stasis, he does not realize how close humans and vortigaunts have become
Unity of purpose, the shattering of common shackles, a single road we tread.
So close in fact, that both vortigaunts and humans are being enslaved again, and they realize they must work together to be liberated.
Your song we sing and shall sing for eternity. No matter the consequences of this struggle.
Gordan will do great great things, even if he doesnt win, he will be appreciated
You have brought us grief and jubilation beyond measure.
the deaths hes wrought against the vorts, and the liberation he gave them.
We are there still, in observance of your final stroke.
They are already looking at the end of the saga, forever watching this final event.
While our own lay scattered at your feet, you severed the vortal cord that bound the Nihilanth to life, and to us.
Heres where it gets interesting. I believe the nihilanth was the leader of the vorts before the combine took em over. he controled them all so to speak as a or bios, or better yet, as a person controling a machine, as they are timeless and without individuality (also why no vort has a name)
When gordan killed the nihilanth, who was being controled by the combine, he severed the control over the vorts, the vorts, now with somewhat more individuality both mourned and rejoiced, now they fight again to keep their freedom. See these games are the second time gordan has landed a blow against the combine. he already liberated the xenites.
That sharp spur of hope has not dulled to this day. For once the lesser master lay defeated, we knew the greater master must also fall in time.
the nihilanth is dead, now those who control him must die.
With you beside us, a talisman of victory, the day of freedom draws nigh.
now that our kin is with us, we are compelled to win against this.
Your bright face obscures your darker mask.
You fight to give hope, but you cause so much death.
We call you sib, although your mind and meaning are a mystery to us.
sib, family in your own generation. supports the vort/gordy kin thing. They recognize him as family, but dont understand his purpose. OR can be a bit of pandering to the fans, mentioning the people playing the game has been used elsewhere, such as Secret of Evermore, SNES. The crazy guy.
Far distant eyes look out through yours.
DEFINITLY fan pandering
Something secret steers us both. We shall not name it.
maybe fan pandering, may be a reference to whatever gman represents.
We have endured these chafing bonds for eons, yet a single moment of further servitude seems intolerable!
We will not allow ourselves to be controled again
How often have we slipped our yoke, only to find it choking us again.
more times than this have we freed ourselves from control only to find ourselves enslaved again.
Let this war end in either total victory or our extinction. No further compromise shall we allow.
freedom or death
We take our stand beside you, here, upon is miserable rock.
when the warp storms (mentioned on the timeline page) racked the earth, freed vorts fled there, and there they must fight for they have no where else to go. earth is the final stand.
The way ahead is dark for the moment.
although timeless, the vorts cannot see beyond the immediate future for the moment. they cannot help gordy by telling him, i think it is because "Gordan can choose" and choice is not synonomous with parralel time theory.
free will does not = destiny
What seems to you a sacrifice is merely, to us, an oscillation. We do not fear the interval of darkness.
Maybe refering to ep 2, in which one of the main characters will die. vorts do not fear it and refer to it as an interval, a temporary event.
We are a tapestry wovern of vortessence. It is the same for you if only you would see it.
We are timeless, and you are as well, but i think gordans ability to make choices obscures his ability to grasp his omniscience.
How many are there in you? Whose hopes and dreams do you encompass?
fan pandering, how many people are playing the same game, seeing the same thing at different times, for different reasons, and with different expectations.
Could you but see the eyes inside your own, the minds in your mind, you would see how much we share.
vortigaunts were timeless and hiveminded, much like the previous quotes nature, they experienced everything with differing viewpoints at once, much like the fans playing the game. differing views.
We are you, Freeman. And you are us.
All the fans, and all the time spent playing, they are all the same, yet different.