Honkai: Star Rail developer HoYoVerse released an in-universe explanation of the Heliobus, wisp-like creatures that appear in the game and form an important part of the Xianzhou storyline. The “Heliobus Purging Manual” covers their behaviour, affects on victims and how to deal with them.
According to the manual, Heliobi are formless beings that are driven to possess people, especially those with strong emotions. If not properly exorcised, a Heliobus’ host will begin hallucinating and lose all self-control, before finally combusting once fully drained. Possessed hosts can break free if they become aware of the Heliobus, but otherwise the main method of exorcism involves beating them unconscious and then trapping the emerging heliobus in a force-field.
Heliobus characters appear in several parts of the Xianzhou storyline in Honkai: Star Rail, most notably in Chapter II. Phantylia, a boss fought during the mission Topclouded Towerthrust, is an older Heliobus composed of many smaller entities. HoYoVerse also recently released a trailer for HuoHuo, a healer character that has a Heliobus sealed in her tale.
Honkai: Star Rail is available for PC, PS5, and mobile devices. The company also announced that the Pelicana Chicken collaboration will head to the US in December 2023 and involve exclusive merchandise.
