Solve et Coagula Ending — Tenebris Somnia

Prepare the branch save

Reach the point where the refined knife is named Aurifer. If it still reads Melanosis or Viridis, finish the knife transformation route first. Keep a distinct save before any Aurifer kill against a Relicta.

“Before the choice” is the useful checkpoint. A save made after a kill records a different state and does not become a clean Ending 1 save merely because you later stop attacking.

Route steps

1. Obtain Aurifer and make the pre-choice save.
2. Continue toward the Séptimo Arte finale, passing Relicta without killing them with the knife.
3. Preserve that condition through the route rather than testing Aurifer on a retreating ghost.
4. Complete the Lacuna finale.
5. Confirm the SOLVE ET COAGULA ending and its Steam achievement.

The no-kill condition described here is specific to the late Relicta branch. It is not a requirement to avoid every earlier required monster encounter throughout the game.

What changes the result

A Relicta kill with Aurifer redirects the main route toward MAGNUM OPUS. Do not treat the first retreating ghost as a harmless damage demonstration if you are preserving Ending 1. If you are unsure what happened, reload the branch save instead of continuing on an uncertain state.

This page does not claim that a single nonlethal hit has been independently tested on every build. The reliable instruction is to pass the Relicta without attacking them while keeping the documented no-kill route intact.

Can you get Ending 2 afterward?

Yes, the cited walkthroughs describe reloading the earlier save and taking the opposite choice. Complete each finale separately and check that each achievement registers. That is different from expecting one ending cinematic to award both numbered outcomes.

Is this the “good ending”?

Many player guides use that label for SOLVE ET COAGULA. Here, the official number and achievement name identify the route; the label is not presented as a developer-issued moral ranking.

Evidence and next steps

Steam confirms the name and number; Into Indie Games, NoobFeed and Destructoid agree on the Relicta distinction. Exact installed build and platform parity are unconfirmed. Return to all four endings for the hidden-route prerequisites or the achievement list for remaining goals.