Encumbrance & Loadout¶

Encumbrance in Kaernest is not a question of how much weight a character can carry.
It is a question of how they present themselves to the world, how freely they can move, and how difficult it is to recover when things go wrong.

Rather than tracking precise weights or totals, Kaernest uses Loadout States and gear tags to describe what a character is carrying and what that implies fictionally and mechanically.

Encumbrance exists to signal intent, escalate situations naturally, and shape consequences, not to create bookkeeping.

Loadout States¶

Every character is always in one of three Loadout States. A Loadout State is not calculated. It is chosen or implied by what the character brings with them and how they carry it.

Light Loadout¶

You are unencumbered and discreet. You move easily, draw little attention, and blend into your surroundings. Weapons, if any, are concealable. Armor is absent or minimal.
Packs and tools are small and kept close to the body.

Light Loadout is appropriate when subtlety, speed, or social access matter more than preparedness.

Standard Loadout¶

You are clearly equipped. You appear ready for trouble, travel, or work, but not exceptional. Weapons are visible. Bulky tools or packs are present. Armor may be worn, but does not dominate your silhouette.

Standard Loadout is the default for adventuring, patrols, and open travel.

Heavy Loadout¶

You are overtly armed or burdened. Your equipment is obvious, rigid, or difficult to ignore. Heavy armor, large weapons, oversized packs, or carried objects dominate your appearance.
You attract attention and assumptions.

Heavy Loadout signals readiness for conflict or labor, but makes discretion and recovery more difficult.

Gear Flexibility by Loadout¶

Light Loadout¶

You have access only to small, concealable, and disposable gear.
Any item produced must plausibly have been on your person without altering your appearance.

No bulky tools
No large weapons
No specialty gear without prior setup
Flashbacks and Effort may justify how an item is used, not why it exists

Light Loadout favors subtle preparation over breadth.

Standard Loadout¶

You have access to expected adventuring gear and may declare one significant item as needed.

Common tools, weapons, and supplies are assumed
One piece of specialty gear may be introduced when things go wrong
Further declarations require Effort, preparation, or prior fiction

Standard Loadout assumes readiness, but not foresight.

Heavy Loadout¶

You have access to all gear you plausibly own and are carrying.

Bulky, specialized, or redundant items are expected
No Effort is required to justify preparedness
Social and situational consequences apply immediately

Heavy Loadout removes gear friction by accepting narrative cost.

Gear Tags¶

Individual items are described using simple tags that inform Loadout State and concealment.
These tags do not assign numbers or require tracking totals.

Light¶

Small, flexible, or compact items that do not meaningfully alter posture or silhouette.

Light items are eligible for concealment, but are not automatically hidden.

Bulky¶

Awkward, rigid, or space-hungry items. They are difficult to conceal and often signal preparedness or intent.

Bulky items usually push a character toward Standard Loadout.

Heavy¶

Items whose mass or rigidity significantly affects movement or visibility.
Armor and large weapons are the most common examples.

Heavy items always push a character into Heavy Loadout when worn or carried on the body.

Concealment¶

Concealment is governed first by Loadout State, then by context.

At Light Loadout, Light items may be concealed with appropriate clothing, preparation, or circumstance.
At Standard Loadout, only small or specially prepared items may be concealed, often with effort or risk.
At Heavy Loadout, nothing is truly concealed. Your readiness is obvious.

Concealment is never automatic.
If concealment matters, the GM considers clothing, culture, situation, and preparation before calling for a roll.

Carrying vs. Being Ready¶

There is an important distinction between carrying something and being ready to use it.

Items transported on carts, sleds, animals, or left nearby do not affect Loadout State unless they are on your person. You may carry more than your Loadout State would normally allow, but doing so pushes you toward Heavy Loadout and may impose consequences.

Loadout State reflects what the world sees, not what you technically possess. It defines not how much you carry, but how prepared the world believes you are—and what preparation can be revealed without breaking that fiction.

Mechanical Effects of Loadout¶

Encumbrance does not drain Effort directly. Instead, it affects how difficult it is to recover from mistakes.

At Light Loadout, physical actions are easier to recover from.
Partial successes may be easier to smooth over, and Effort spent to mitigate failure can be more efficient when you look unthreatening rather than overtly prepared.

At Standard Loadout, no penalties apply in most situations.

At Heavy Loadout, recovery becomes costly.
Effort spent to turn failures into partial successes may cost more, or bonus dice may be unavailable for certain physical actions, at the GM's discretion.

Loadout State may also limit what kind of equipment can be introduced when Effort is spent.

Loadout and Intrigue¶

Loadout State is immediately apparent in social and political situations.

A character at Heavy Loadout is assumed to be prepared for violence or labor.
This escalates tension, limits access, and shapes how others respond.

A character at Light Loadout is assumed to be non-threatening or unprepared.
This opens doors, but limits options if conflict arises.

Loadout State should always inform social scenes, even when no roll is involved.

Changing Loadout State¶

Changing Loadout State requires time, privacy, or preparation.

You cannot drop from Heavy Loadout to Light Loadout in the middle of a tense scene without consequence. Discarding, stowing, or donning gear may attract attention or escalate situations.

The GM should treat sudden changes in Loadout State as meaningful actions, not bookkeeping.

Design Intent¶

Encumbrance in Kaernest exists to reinforce fiction, not to constrain play.
Loadout State answers questions of visibility, readiness, and escalation without math.

If a rule or ruling does not clarify the situation or increase tension, it is probably unnecessary.

Summary¶

Loadout State defines how you move through the world.
Gear tags describe what pushes you there.
Encumbrance increases consequence, not exhaustion.

What you bring with you matters, even before the dice are rolled.