Helminth is a being residing in the Helminth Infirmary of the Orbiter, the door of which can only be open with Nidus or a Warframe with a fully matured Helminth cyst. Ordis claims that Helminth is responsible for operating the Orbiter's biological functions, and despite his disgust towards it, views Helminth as a "necessary evil". Initially dormant, Helminth can only be awakened after completing The Glast Gambit questline.
Helminth Virus
Fully grown cyst (7 days from infection)
At the center of the Helminth Infirmary is a chair that warframes can sit on. Should the player choose to sit on the chair (in spite of Ordis's protests), a needle will inject the left side of the warframe's neck and will release it afterwards. In the case of a warframe with a mature cyst, this will cure it and inoculate the frame against further infection. In the case of Nidus, however, this will infect him with the Helminth virus. 24 hours after the injection, a small, pink, Infested cyst will start growing at the site of injection. The cyst will continue to grow in size until 7 days have passed, at which point it will be fully matured, as seen by the small tendrils sprouting from its surface. The player may drain the mature cyst to breed a new type of Compañero, the Cargador Helminto, from the Orbiter's Incubator Segment; a new cyst will appear 24 hours after draining it.
As long as Nidus (or any other warframe) is infected, any Warframes that come into contact with him will also contract the Helminth Virus. Players will know if they have been infected when they hear an 'injection' sound, and are briefly surrounded by a light, brown cloud. After 24 hours, the same cyst will appear on the newly infected Warframe. The now-infected Warframes can also spread the virus to other Warframes the same way as Nidus.
However, the virus can only be spread during missions or in a Clan Dojo, and cannot be spread in Relays. Infected players can also spread the virus to players who have yet to complete The Glast Gambit or any of its prerequisite quests (namely La guerra interna).
In order to cure an infected Warframe of the virus, the player can use any Warframe carrying a mature cyst into the Helminth Infirmary and interact with the chair and cure them of the infection. This not only removes the cyst from the Warframe, but also inoculates them against further infection. This also permanently prevents the inoculated Warframe (except Nidus) from accessing the Helminth Infirmary.
Trivia
- Although it is referred to as a virus by the community, the Helminth Virus can be more accurately described as a plague.
- The word helminth (from Greek: "intestinal worm") is a term used to superficially describe worm-like organisms, not all of which are strictly parasitic or worms.
- Helminth has lines that can only be heard depending on the player's moral alignment as determined from their chosen decisions in La guerra interna and The Glast Gambit quests. Currently, Helminth is the only character in-game who acknowledges this.
Quotes
On first sitting in the chair:
- "(We awaken, Master.)"
- "(I wish to serve, yet I am weak. Time heals the mind.)"
When speaking to Nidus:
- "(The Meridians awake. The vital pentatonic.)"
- "(Forgive me, my sting, Master.)"
- "(I am weak, Master.)"
- "(Living substances is our domain. How will we serve you.)"
- "(Feed me... Master.)"
- "(We are life, Master. But also death.)"
- "(Master.)"
- "(All that lives is coiled within us. We will consume, Master, if you wish it.)"
- "(We... breathe for you. Bleed for you. Feed for you.)"
- "(We germinate, for the Master... within the Master.)"
- "(Master, only my voice has returned.)"
- "(We are as one.)"
When speaking to the Operator:
- "(The demon is awake? How?)"
- "(We fear nothing but the Void demon)"
- (Sun alignment) "(Light shines within this demon.)"
- (Neutral alignment) "(This demon walks the shadow's edge.)"
- (Moon alignment) "(Shadows grow within this demon.)"
When removing the cyst:
- "(Why do you reject my beauty?)"
Bugs
- The cyst can be viewed fully grown in the Archwing section of the Arsenal before it becomes normally visible. This also occurs with Equinox when she switches between her Day and Night forms.
- If the player has been infected before completing The Glast Gambit, Helminth's lines will not play at all.
Patch History
- The Helminth Cure: As stated and shown on Devstream #85, the Helminth Cure is here. By now, a majority of Tenno have been faced with a persistent and protruding infection on numerous Warframes. For those with a fully 7-day matured Helminth Cyst, the individual permanent cure awaits you in the Helminth Infirmary. The completion of Glast Gambit is not required to have your Helminth Cyst removed, and once the cure has been administered that Warframe will not be granted access back into the room and can no longer be infected. Keep in mind that breeding a Cargador Helminto requires a mature Helminth Cyst to be drained- the choice is yours!
- Fix: Fixed a script crash if you go near the Operator on your Landing Craft with the Helminth Cyst.
- Fixed Operators having an “infection” which resulted in a crash and was not intended.
See also
- Orbiter
- Nidus