TOOL D&D Campaign

This is becoming a fun little addiction. Hey, ChatGPT, I want you to create a dungeons and dragons campaign based on the complete works of the band TOOL.

D&D Campaign: Ænima—The Spiral Ascension

A surreal, mind-bending adventure inspired by TOOL’s discography, blending cosmic horror, esoteric philosophy, and high fantasy.

Introduction: The Ænima Pulse

The world of Ætherium has been fractured. A cataclysmic event known as the Ænima Pulse has left reality unstable, birthing nightmares into existence and opening portals to The Spiral, an ever-shifting plane of enlightenment and destruction.

A cryptic being known as The Seer of Lateralus appears in the party’s dreams, warning them that The Parabol Engine—an artifact capable of either fully restoring the world or accelerating its collapse—has been stolen by an enigmatic entity called The Crawling King.

Your party is chosen (or cursed) to find it.

Core Themes:

• Transcendence & Evolution (Lateralus, 10,000 Days)
• Madness & Self-Discovery (Schism, Forty Six & 2)
• Eldritch Horrors & Forbidden Knowledge (Fear Inoculum, Third Eye)
• Corrupt Authority & Rebellion (Ænima, The Grudge)

Key Factions:

1. The Grudgebearers – Zealots clinging to power, enforcing stagnation.
2. The Ænima Order – Monks & scholars seeking enlightenment through chaos.
3. The Schismites – A broken faction divided by their own paranoia.
4. The Hosts of Eulogy – Cosmic entities pulling the strings of reality.

Enemies & Beings:

• The Crawling King (Ticks & Leeches) – A parasite lord feeding on the suffering of the world.
• The Holy Gift (Rosetta Stoned) – A being of infinite knowledge but incomprehensible madness.
• The Fibonacci Serpents (Lateralus) – Guardians of The Spiral, guiding or destroying travelers.
• The Naysayers (Hooker with a Penis) – False prophets and grifters leading the weak astray.

Gameplay Style:

• Heavy use of puzzles, music-inspired mechanics, and dreamlike environments.
• Shifting reality (players will have to track changes in memory and perception).
• Cosmic horror elements with a psychedelic twist.

Act 1: The Grudge & The Schism

• The party awakens in The Rusting Valley, a decayed land where time loops erratically, ruled by The Grudgebearers, a cult obsessed with vengeance and stagnation.
• To leave, they must choose between siding with the Ænima Order, who seek to break free from suffering, or the Schismites, a fractured group that cannot agree on how to proceed.
• A temple buried beneath the valley houses an ancient guardian, The Fibonacci Serpents, who offer the first piece of knowledge about The Parabol Engine.

Act 2: The Ænima & The Grudgebearers

• The party travels to The Flooded Wastes, a city crumbling beneath a never-ending storm, where The Crawling King is siphoning the despair of the people.
• A resistance movement, led by The Host of Eulogy, fights to overthrow The King’s enforcers.
• Here, the party must decipher a prophecy hidden in a massive Ziggurat of Flesh, revealing how the Parabol Engine can be activated.

Act 3: Lateralus—The Spiral Ascension

• The final battle takes place in the heart of The Spiral, where reality bends to the will of those strong enough to shape it.
• The Crawling King stands at the precipice of ascension, ready to twist the universe into an eternal cycle of pain and hunger.
• The party must make a choice:
  • Destroy The Parabol Engine, causing the world to collapse into a new, unknown form.
  • Take control of The Spiral, shaping reality to their design.
  • Let the cycle repeat, embracing entropy and madness.

Homebrew Mechanics & Inspiration

• The Spiral Effect: The closer the players get to the Engine, the more reality shifts. Random effects occur at the start of every session (visions, memory loss, body horror mutations).
• Fibonacci Magic: Certain spells and rituals require actions performed in a Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5…).
• Lateralus Progression: Players can unlock abilities based on their personal enlightenment (wisdom checks, puzzle solutions, philosophical choices).