I have a group of 5 with only one Melee, who is also the only one with a higher than 12 str. It quickly downed on me we would have a luggage problem.
I'm going to alter the Weasel and give it a harness(to appear less threatening) and let it lead my pc's to a sled where it's master lies dead. Where they will find some goblin tracks they can track back to a cave. so the xp will hopefully work out the same and net them a Weasel Sled for their adventures.
I suspect the Hut itself will be the beast of burden, as long as the PCs make sure to store their stuff in the front room...
well, that's well and good once we get to the hut, but getting across irrisen with some players who can barely carry their starting gear bag along with winter clothes will be a wee bit annoying once they start to pick up loot along the way. That's two full books before the hut.
Make them suffer. Seriously.
If they're horders, then they have to live with that. Mind you, it's a snowy environment. They can always made sledges to pull things along with.
Of course, I'm even more evil. I'm putting a higher-level group (3rd to 4th) through this... and they'd already gotten a covered wagon (with a small bed inside) that they captured from some evil wizard (it was from an old Dungeon magazine). Well... it won't work in a snow-covered region.
So after going through the hard work of buying a horse for it and starting to use it to store their materials (including the ranger's materials for making bows for sale) (yeah, I'm stingy when it comes to treasure)? They're going to have to either sell it (and not for much!) or abandon it.
you know... everyone is always making these min/max builds.... "oh Im going to drop strength to get that extra plus one...because that's a SMART build" seriously, let the players figure this one out themselves. If you read close enough there is/are horses at the lodge.
They can always go back to heldren to buy beasts if they didnt set out that way, and there is opportunity to find something in Waldsby (Ranger Lady has sled dogs)
I wouldnt just give them ways to carry things. Let them struggle, and if they have to leave some stuff behind because they can't carry it, they will prioritize.
Someone with survival should be able to build a sled.
But seriously let them think it out or leave stuff behind.
I definitely agree with letting players live with the consequences of a poorly thought out (or min maxed) stat selection
I ran a game recently where there was a pc who would have given himself.medium encumberance if he wore armour, carried to much treasure etc. I found it very amusing and had limited sympathy.
It seems to affect classes like rogues and bards the most (also cleric) who have access to armour but several other abilities that are prioritized over strength (of course it is also nasty for any spellcaster with less than 10 strength!)
Not only does Nadya have sleds, but Sergeant Volan and his guards arrive on more sleds, and also the courtyard of the Pale Tower contains even more sleds.
Theoretically the PCs can amass like 15~ dogsleds, not counting if they spend an extended period of time allowing more guards to return to the tower.
Put a rank in handle animal, buy a donkey and some carrots.
Don't wana be your beast of burden...