Momenta: Magic and Monsters Module

! This Module requires the Momenta Core Ruleset, available for free here.

WHAT IS MOMENTA?

Momenta is a GM-less, genre-independent system for creating SHORT CAMPAIGN TTRPGs of 2 – 4 sessions.

WHAT DOES THE MOMENTA: MAGIC AND MONSTERS MODULE ADD?

This module is the first expansion of the Momenta ruleset and adds the following:

1)      A magic system that focuses on the attunement of Chaos energy.

2)      12 new Afflictions, 2 beneficial statuses, and 8 new enemy Features.

3)      A bestiary containing 57 new, illustrated enemies across 7 biomes, including Boss Encounters.

WHAT DOES IT COME WITH?

1)      A 70-page, printer-friendly module (the entire document is in the preview!):

• Section 1: Chaos Magic and Section 2: The Bestiary. Plus, helpful examples and appendices.
• Hyperlinked table of contents, index, and body text. Bookmarked headings.

2)      A printer-friendly Playkit Part 1 including: Adventure Sheet, Character Sheet, momentum/ wound trackers, and Chaos Ring Sheet.

3)      A printer-friendly Playkit Part 2 including: Pre-filled and blank Enemy Cards for every enemy in the bestiary, including Boss Cards.

WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED?

Momenta uses D6 dice in 4 different colors/styles/sizes (they just need to be distinguishable from each other) to represent the 4 types of dice in the game.

To use the Chaos Magic introduced in this module, you will need to substitute the d6 Weapon die with a d10 to act as the Chaos die.

WHAT IS THE SAME?

This module follows the rules of Core Momenta in the great majority of cases:

• Adventure creation and Scene running
• Character creation Skill Trait Advancement
• Momentum

The Core resolution mechanic also remains the same:

• Roll d6 dice: 1 - 3 = Miss, 4 - 6 = Hit.
• Count Hits to succeed in skill checks and combat.
• Enhanced by special die faces, player manipulation of dice rolls, and forward-moving momentum.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT?

This Module introduces the Chaos Mage as another type of Character. In contrast to a Core Character:

• Chaos Mages receive different advancements when they “level up”.
• Chaos Mages can cast Auras to help with Skill Challenges.
• Combat, while sharing the same four fundamental Actions, has some notable mechanical distinctions.

HOW DOES CHAOS MAGIC WORK?

Using Chaos Magic is all about the Mage attuning themselves to the interconnected expressions of the Chaos Field.

“The Ring” is a pictorial representation of this interconnectedness:

 

When a Choas Mage wants to use magic, they need to roll their stamina dice, looking for Hits (4 – 6). Mages also use a special type of stamina die called a Chaos die.

1. The number on the Chaos die tells the mage where their consciousness enters the Ring.
2. From that point, Hits are used to move the die along the Ring to a desired outcome (i.e., attunement).

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AURAS AND SPELLS?

Each of the Types of Chaos Magic on the Ring is a distinct magic expression.

• An Aura is a gentle “gathering in” of an expression around the Mage.
• A Spell is a rapid explosion of that same expression, directed towards a specific target during combat.

Auras are primarily used during adventuring, for both story-telling and formal skill challenges. With some luck, even the size and duration of an aura can be controlled.

Rain and Sensory Auras:

The Shatter Spell and Grounding Ward Hex:

WHAT IS COMBAT LIKE FOR A CHAOS MAGE?

As in the Core Ruleset, combat is still simultaneous and stamina-based, but there are some differences for a Chaos Mage.

Spells are a Mage’s only means of attack; they do not carry weapons of any kind. They are high risk, high reward.

Pros: Spells cannot miss and they always give an unblockable status effect.

Cons: You may not always get the Spell you want. You may even get a result that you definitely don’t want! That’s Chaos!

1. Your Mage “calls” the Spell that they want.
2. Roll your dice.
3. Hits (roll 4 – 6) move the Chaos die along the Ring. More Hits means better chance of reaching your “call”.

 

WHAT IS IN THE BESTIARY?

Biomes:

Enemies in the Bestiary are sorted by the biomes in which they most often appear. Each biome has six standard enemies and two Bosses. Each enemy has a corresponding Enemy Card in the Playkit part 2 file.

You won't find a single goblin or orc in this bestiary; you can find those anywhere. There are actually a few trolls, though...sort of.

Here are a few enemy examples:

 

Boss Encounters: These entries are more than just a stat block. Boss Encounters are unique experiences that challenge the Characters with special lairs and rules.

I designed the Alpha Werewolf, a Boss of the Midlands, the day after I watched the old Universal Pictures “The Wolfman” for inspiration. The interpretation is intentionally quite loose, but I was definitely feeling the misty forest.

You won’t be wanting to go up against Illapa in your first session. This Level 5 Boss of the Heights is a straight-up god of storms; he’ll toss you around his mountain top like a rag doll!

Important note: I carefully chose the illustrations in the Bestiary from stock images on Freepik Premium using the "Exclude AI" filter. In the months between when I finished collecting those images and the publication date of this module, Freepik became Magnific, who appear to be more keenly focused on AI-generated art than their predecessor. 

It is my sincere hope that the vast majority, if not all, of the "AI-excluded" images that I chose truly were created by a human, and I have credited the artists in the module as if that were the case.