Tenebris Somnia wraps up Julia's nightmare with two very different conclusions, and the split happens later than most players expect. There are no hidden collectibles to track down and no branching dialogue trees to manage across the whole story. Everything comes down to a single decision made near the very end of the game, after you've already crafted the final weapon. Better still, a well-placed manual save lets you see both endings back to back without sitting through the entire adventure twice.
What are the two endings in Tenebris Somnia?
The two conclusions are called Solve et Coagula (the good ending) and Magnum Opus (the bad ending). Each one sends Julia into a different final boss fight and plays out a unique closing cinematic. The names lean into the game's alchemical themes, which fits given that the branching point revolves around a weapon you forge through a multi-step transformation process.
Where does the ending choice actually happen?
The split occurs during the final Desiderium section. After Julia retrieves her belongings and returns to Ivan's apartment, the main story tasks you with obtaining the Lapis Fictus Knife and putting it through three successive treatments: electricity, mercury, and moonlight. The finished product is the Aurifer, the weapon that determines which ending you get.
Before you leave the area with the Aurifer in hand, find the nearby Save Point and use it. This is the single most important thing you can do if you want both endings in one run. Reload from here after your first ending to take the other path without replaying any of the earlier puzzles or boss fights.
Tenebris Somnia Guide: All Endings & How to Get Them
The deciding factor is straightforward: Relicta ghosts behave differently once the Aurifer exists. Instead of attacking Julia, they flee. Kill one of them with the Aurifer and you're locked into the bad ending. Avoid every single one and you'll reach the good ending.
How to get the good ending (Solve et Coagula)
After completing the Aurifer, leave through the southern door. A Relicta ghost will be inside the hotel room ahead, but it won't attack. Walk past it and keep moving through the hotel without striking any ghosts you encounter along the route.
Head back to the apartment building stairwell and climb to Floor 3. Use the left-hand door from the hallway to reach the street outside the Bar, then travel left until you find the entrance to the Septimo Arte building. More Relicta ghosts may appear on the way, so keep moving past them.
Inside Septimo Arte, follow the hallway to the large door marked with a strange symbol. Inspect it, then head back toward the entrance. Vitria will appear and speak with Julia. Finish the conversation to begin the final fight. Spare every Relicta ghost and your opponent here will be Lacuna.
Tenebris Somnia Guide: All Endings & How to Get Them
How to defeat Lacuna
Lacuna fights across two phases, and the Aurifer cannot be used during this battle. Stock up on Revolver and Shotgun ammunition before entering the final area.
Phase 1: Lacuna moves around the arena and attacks with her tendrils. Keep distance and fire whenever she's exposed. Her most dangerous move starts when she disappears entirely. Keep moving until she lands, because her diving attack is an instant kill if it connects. She can also release a swarm of flies from her mouth. Moving closer to her during that specific attack helps you stay out of the main stream.
Phase 2: Several Julia clones appear on the movie screen. Use the screen to track their positions and eliminate them. Lacuna then returns to the arena, moving while leaving a damaging trail behind her. Stay clear of the trail and keep shooting from range. She also summons flies from the movie screen during this phase. These smaller enemies die in a single hit. Clear them when they become a distraction, but don't lose sight of Lacuna. Keep attacking through her openings until she falls.
Defeating Lacuna triggers the Solve et Coagula ending.
How to get the bad ending (Magnum Opus)
Reload your Aurifer save. This time, kill one Relicta ghost with the Aurifer. You don't need to hunt them all down; a single kill locks you into the bad-ending path.
The easiest opportunity is right after you leave through the southern door. The Relicta ghost in the hotel room will try to run. Strike it with the Aurifer and the route is set. From there, the path through the hotel, apartment stairwell, Floor 3, and Septimo Arte is identical to the good-ending route. Inspect the symbol-marked door, return to the entrance, and speak with Vitria. After the conversation and cinematic, you'll face Hermes instead of Lacuna.
How to defeat Hermes
Hermes opens by summoning enormous hands from beneath the arena floor. Watch for runic markings on the ground because they show exactly where each hand will emerge. Once a hand appears, it fires vertical or horizontal energy blasts. A flash near the eye signals which direction the blast is coming, giving you a moment to reposition.
Attack the hands with the Aurifer or your ranged weapons until they disappear. Between waves, check the movie screen for a preview of the next attack pattern and move into a safe spot before it starts. The fight escalates as Hermes begins summoning two hands at once, then three.
Tenebris Somnia Guide: All Endings & How to Get Them
Phase 2: A gigantic face emerges from the movie screen. When Hermes opens his mouth and starts inhaling, retreat to the far edge of the arena immediately. Getting pulled into his mouth restarts the phase. Wait until the inhaling stops before closing distance to deal damage.
Watch out for red liquid erupting across the floor, and deal with the smaller summoned enemies quickly since they go down in one hit. Don't let the adds pull your attention away from Hermes for too long. Once he's weakened, finish him with several Aurifer strikes to unlock the Magnum Opus ending.
Can you get both endings in one playthrough?
Yes, and it's straightforward. Save right after transforming the Lapis Fictus Knife into the Aurifer. Avoid every Relicta ghost on your first run, defeat Lacuna, and watch Solve et Coagula play out. After the credits, reload that save, kill one ghost with the Aurifer, defeat Hermes, and you'll have Magnum Opus as well. No need to replay the story, redo the weapon crafting, or revisit any earlier areas.
For more help with the game, the full Tenebris Somnia strategy guides cover other systems and challenges throughout Julia's journey. If you enjoy this style of atmospheric adventure games with branching conclusions, the guides hub has plenty more to explore.
