Tenebris Somnia Guide | All Desiderium Puzzles

This Tenebris Somnia guide covers all major Desiderium puzzles, including the Film School, Fly Tile puzzle, Tin Key, Green Candle, poem photographs, item combinations, and Aurifer Knife. Follow the solutions to unlock new rooms, collect the required items, and reach the game's final section.

How to Solve the Desiderium Film School Puzzles

After entering Desiderium, you must explore the corrupted Film School and collect several items to access the next area.

• Enter the TV Room on the first floor and activate the televisions in the dark room.
• Once the TVs are on, collect the Blue RCA Cable from the table.
• Leave the room and follow the hallway to the blue door.
• Enter the room and collect the Black Lightbulb from the desk.
• Return to the Photo Development room on Floor 1 and use the Black Lightbulb on the lamp in the left corner.
• The colors will invert, turning the Blue RCA Cable yellow.
• Return to the ground floor and enter the film production room.
• Use the Yellow RCA Cable on the camera, then interact with the rope to reach the next area.
• Find the lever in the bottom-left corner. Activate it and wait for the gate to rise fully.
• Activate the lever again to cut the power, then cross the room and open the box.
• Return to the first floor and enter the room that previously contained the Cursed Film Canister.
• Break the glass and use the Apartment Key on the purified water.
• Return to the ground floor and enter the room where you originally found the Black Lightbulb.
• Interact with the Julia statue among the statues surrounding the table to obtain the Red Candle.
• Combine the Red Candle with the Lighter to light it.
• Leave the room and enter the stairwell to the right of the apartment building elevator.

Use the lit Red Candle on the wall marked with a red symbol to unlock the next area.

How to Solve the Desiderium Fly Tile Puzzle

The Fly Tile puzzle requires you to repeat a path across the floor. The correct route is randomized, so you must remember the pattern from the previous room.

• Enter the room containing the first fly statue.
• Walk across the floor, paying close attention to the exact tiles you step on.
• Reach the fly statue and break it.
• Enter the next room and repeat the same tile pattern you used in the previous room.
• Watch the statue as you move. It becomes progressively more golden when you step on the correct tiles.
• If you step on the wrong tile, return to the beginning and try the route again.
• Once the statue becomes completely golden, break it to destroy the remaining fly wing.
• Enter the theater room that opens after you destroy the statue.
• Collect the Lead Fly from the Julia statue sitting on the chair near the middle of the room.
• Return to the apartment hallway and use the Lead Fly on the locked door marked with a fly symbol.

Remember the route carefully. No single fixed tile sequence works for every playthrough.

How to Get the Tin Key and Green Candle

The Tin Key and Green Candle unlock the apartment building's upper floors in Desiderium.

• Defeat Carnito in the final encounter of this section.
• Leave the room and collect the Tin Key hanging on the wire.
• Use the Tin Key on the locked door to return to the hallway.
• Go to the theater room above the area where you broke the giant fly statue.
• Use the Tin Key on the box in the middle of the room.
• Collect the Green Candle.
• Combine the Green Candle with the Lighter to light it.
• Return to the stairwell and climb the stairs until you reach the wall marked with a green symbol.
• Use the lit Green Candle on the wall.

This opens access to the apartment building's second and third floors, where the next chain of puzzles begins.

How to Solve the Desiderium Apartment Puzzles

The apartment puzzles require you to collect photographs, combine items, solve poems, and create Auritsatio. Completing this chain rewards you with the Lapis Fictus Knife.

• Collect the Glass Box and Photographs
• Go to the second floor of the apartment building and enter Ivan's apartment.
• Enter the bathroom and interact with the faucet.
• Leave the bathroom and interact with the Ivan statue holding a knife in the living room.
• Enter the bedroom and collect the Glass Box from the table beside the bed.
• Enter the office and interact with the clothes rack to collect the Photographs.
• Leave the apartment and return to the stairwell.
• Break through the flooded wall with a melee attack.
• Enter the bathroom through the opening and interact with the shower curtain to reveal a passage leading to the kitchen.

Collect the Glass Vase

• Return to the stairwell and enter the third-floor apartment.
• Go into the office and interact with the Vase of plants on the table.
• Collect the Glass Vase.
• Combine the Glass Vase with the Film Canisters in your inventory.
• You will use the Vase and its contents later to create Auritsatio.
• Solve the Poem and Photograph Puzzle
• Find the wall marked with Roman numerals in the third-floor office.
• Read the poems displayed on the wall.
• Use the Photographs on the wall and select the correct photographs for each poem.
• Complete the four photograph selections using the answers below.

The correct photographs depend on the poem's opening line.

Poem 1: "He nestles in her hand…"

Hand with ring

Ear with earring

Shiny dress

Pearl necklace

Poem 2: "You're dead…"

Cross necklace

Feet

Sunglasses

Black veil

Poem 3: "I’m dreaming…"

Mouth with lipstick

Sunglasses

Ear with earring

Black dress

Poem 4: "Adorned with the blue of silver…"

Feet

Shiny dress

Closed eyes with big eyelashes

Black glove

Match each poem with its corresponding four photographs. Once the puzzle is complete, return to the second-floor kitchen.

• Create the Auritsatio Mixture
• In the second-floor kitchen, use the Vase Filled with Chemicals and Blood on the oven.
• Use the Lighter on the oven to burn the contents.
• Collect the Circular Plate from the table.
• Leave the kitchen and enter the second-floor office.
• Collect the Julia Figure.
• Use the Circular Plate on the chest in the corner to obtain the VHS Tape.
• Combine the Glass Box with the Julia Figure.
• Return to the third-floor living room and use the VHS Tape on the television.
• Defeat the waves of enemies that appear. These enemies are visible through the television screen, so use it to track their positions.
• After defeating them, collect the Ivan Figure from the TV screen.
• Combine the Ivan Figure with the Glass Box.
• Return to the second-floor hallway and enter the blue door on the far left.
• Continue left through the A.S. door until you reach the statue with a hole in its chest.
• Use the Glass Box on the statue to turn it gold.
• Break the golden statue with a melee attack.
• Continue left until you reach the studio light.
• Use the Vase Filled with Chemicals and Blood on the light to create the Auritsatio mixture.
• Return to Ivan's apartment on the second floor.

Use Auritsatio on the Ivan statue holding the knife to obtain the Lapis Fictus Knife.

How to Get the Aurifer Knife

Upgrade the Lapis Fictus Knife through several stages to obtain the Aurifer Knife. You need it to access the final route and determine which ending you receive.

Get the Melanosis Knife

• After obtaining the Lapis Fictus Knife, leave the apartment and return to the stairwell.
• Use the bathroom passage to reach the kitchen.
• Stand in front of the kitchen fuse box.
• Use the Lapis Fictus Knife on the fuse box to transform it into the Melanosis Knife.

Get the Viridis Knife

• Return to the apartment hallway and approach the elevator.
• Interact with the elevator door and use the ladder to descend into the elevator shaft.
• At the bottom, a cutscene will trigger, followed by a chase involving Relicta ghosts.
• Run left and continue down the hallway until you find a door on the right.
• Enter the room to escape the ghosts, then move right into the next room.
• Find the puddle of mercury on the floor.
• Use the Melanosis Knife on the mercury to obtain the Viridis Knife.
• Interact with the statues on the bed.
• Find the hole in the wall in the corner below the health potion.
• Interact with the hole to make the television drop the Lead Key.
• Collect the Lead Key and interact with the hole again to leave the area.
• Climb the stairs back to the ground floor of the apartment building.

Get the Aurifer Knife

• Enter the stairwell and travel to the second floor.
• Turn left to enter the Studio Lobby.
• Use the Lead Key on the locked door marked with a symbol.
• Continue north through the doors until you reach the locked Hotel Door.
• Use the Viridis Knife on the Hotel Door.

After the cutscene, collect the Aurifer Knife.

How to Complete the Desiderium Finale

After obtaining the Aurifer Knife, you can choose between the two main ending routes. Your choice depends on whether you kill any Relicta ghosts with the knife.

• Make a save before proceeding through the final route so you can return and experience the alternative ending.
• To pursue the good ending, avoid killing any Relicta ghosts with the Aurifer Knife.
• To pursue the bad ending, kill at least one Relicta ghost with the Aurifer Knife.
• After making your choice, continue through the Hotel doors until you return to the Studio Lobby.
• Leave the Studio Lobby and return to the apartment building hallway.
• Enter the stairwell through the door on the far right.
• Climb to the third floor and enter the apartment hallway.
• Turn left and enter the door with water leaking from underneath.
• Keep going left along the street until you reach the Septimo Arte building, guarded by Relicta ghosts.
• Enter the building and continue through the final area to complete the story.

You don't need to kill every Relicta ghost to get the bad ending. Killing just one with the Aurifer Knife is enough. For the good ending, avoid killing them with the knife altogether.

Final Thoughts

Desiderium contains some of the game's longest puzzle chains, linking the Film School, fly statues, apartment rooms, poem photographs, and knife upgrades. Pay attention to the tile route in the Fly puzzle, match each poem to the correct photographs, and track items like the Glass Box and Vase Filled with Chemicals and Blood. Before entering the finale, save your progress so you can experience both main ending routes.

FAQ

Q. Where do you find the Tin Key?

A. Defeat Carnito, leave the room, and collect the Tin Key hanging on the wire. Use it on the locked door, then on the box in the theater room to get the Green Candle.

Q. How do you unlock the second and third floors in Desiderium?

A. Light the Green Candle with the Lighter and use it on the green-symbol wall in the stairwell.

Q. How do you upgrade the Lapis Fictus Knife?

A. Use it on the kitchen fuse box to obtain the Melanosis Knife, then use that knife on the mercury puddle at the bottom of the elevator shaft to obtain the Viridis Knife. Use the Viridis Knife on the locked Hotel Door to obtain the Aurifer Knife.