Encumbrance and movement will be handled in a simple, direct manner: A character has 3 possible states of encumbrance and movement:

1. NORMAL: character is not wearing chain mail or plate armor and is carrying a number of items equal to or less than his STR ability score.
2. ARMORED OR LOADED: a character is either wearing chain or plate OR is carrying more items than his STR ability score, but less than twice his score.
3. ENCUMBERED: a character is wearing chain or plate armor AND is carrying more than his STR score in items, but less than twice his score. He counts at this level if he is carrying a body, spellbook or a chest or other bulky container, regardless of his armor and equipment.

  ITEMS CARRIED: A character can carry a number of items equal or less than his STR score without becoming loaded. What exactly counts as a single item? Mostly it is just that, if it is a thing, it counts as an item. However, sometimes very small things might not count as a single item–as a rule of thumb, if the gear book gives it a weight of 0, then consider it takes 20 of the items to fill a pouch which counts as a single item. Clothing, backpacks, belts, and sacks do not count as items carried. Here are some examples:

Any 1 weapon
Any suit of armor (leather, chain or plate) and helmet
Any shield
Character’s money bag with up to 500 coins
1 quiver of 20 arrows
Food sack with 3 days of standard rations or 5 days iron rations
1 case of 30 bolts
1 pouch containing a sling and up to 30 stones
1 quiver of up to 6 javelins or 8 darts
1 Herbalist Bag (containing up to 20 herbs or concoctions)
1 scroll case (containing up to 7 spells or maps on scrolls)
1 potion, 1 flask of oil, or 1 vial of holy water
1 lantern containing oil and affixed with an Ether Lens
bundle of 6 torches

EXAMPLE:
Chester O’ The Woods (Half-Elf Fighter-Thief)–STR 10
Suit of Leather Armor
Long Bow
Quiver of 20 arrows
Sword
Dagger
Thief’s Tools
Money Pouch: with 200gp
Food sack with 5 days iron rations
1 potion of invisibility

He can carry 10 items without becoming loaded, so far he as 9 of them. We can assume he’s wearing normal clothes, wearing a backpack, and has a sword belt and scabbards. He is in leather armor, so now he is Normal, so 6”–30’ of movement. If he should get more than 300 more coins, he would tip over into the 10th item, and if he should pick up one more item, he would become “loaded”. Then, he would drop to 5”–25’ of movement.

MOUNTS