Rings and Traits
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All characters begin the creation process at Rank 1 in each of the Rings and Traits. A character's Rank in a Ring is equal to the Rank of the lower of its two Traits, so a character with a Stamina of 4 and a Willpower of 2 would have an Earth of 2. At Character Generation, it costs 6 to raise a Trait, or 10 to raise the Spirit Ring - no Trait or Ring may go above 3 at Character Generation unless it is a Racial Trait, in which case it may be raised as high as 4. During gameplay, it costs 5*(Desired Rank) to raise a Trait or 10*(Desired Rank) to raise the Spirit Ring. You cannot raise a Trait or Ring more than once per gameplay session.

Earth
Earth is the element of passive strength, resistance and fortitude. The mountain is the symbol of Earth. It is quiet, dignified and eternal. All life blossoms from the Earth and one day must return to it. It is the element of healing, regeneration and renewal.
Stamina - Stamina represents a character's "wind". A long-distance runner has a high Stamina, as well as a champion swimmer. The higher a character's stamina, the longer he can press his physical reserves to the limit.
Willpower - Willpower represents a character's ability to say "No". Just as Stamina is the ability to resist physical distractions, Willpower is Stamina's mental counterpart. Willpower also helps a channeler fight the addiction.

Water
Water is the element of strength. Unlike the passive strength of a mountain, the river cuts away at the mountain. The ocean crashes on the shore, and the storm pounds down on the earth, unrelenting in its rage. But water is also the element of clarity. Water is pure, and it is this purity that washes away taint and deceit.
Strength - A character's ability to lift, carry and push and hold fast is represented by his Strength. It is, in the simplest terms, raw physical power. Strength is the Trait that detemrines how much damage a character can deal out in combat.
Perception - Perception is a character's ability to perceive the world around him using the five senses. Characters with a high Perception are able to pick up minute details and slight differences. Perception is also important in recognising what another channeler is weaving.

Fire
Fire is the element of active energy. It is the element of activity, motion, action and force. It is also the element of inspiration ,illumination and clear thought.
Agility - Agility is the ability to move with style and grace, to be able to control one's actions. Characters with a high Agility are able to make complicated and coordinated movements with ease.
Intelligence - Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge; a character's ability to gather and process information. The higher a character's Intelligence, the faster he wil be able to put facts together, solve puzzles and think clearly. Intelligence also helps a channeler perform more complex and more powerful weavings.

Air
Air is the element of intuition. No one can see the air, but everyone can feel its effects. Air represents all the forces that are not seen, but are known to be present. It is also the element of storms. It is the element of both subtlety and unpredictability. Those with a high Air Ring are attuned to things that can only be felt and known (rather than understood, which is very different), and will be able to react quickly to unexpected situations.
Reflexes - A character's Reflexes represent how quickly he can react to sudden stimuli. A character with a high Reflexes can act almost without thinking.
Awareness - A character's Awareness Trait represents his intuition and empathy. If a character has a high Awareness, he wil be a "quick-read", sensitive to the emotional states of others. But awareness goes a little further. Because a character with a high Awareness is able to sense the moods and attitudes of others, he is also able to play off those impressions. A character with a high Awareness can be very charismatic when he needs to be. Awareness also helps channelers notice weaves that are already in place.

Spirit
In essence, all Rings are the same Ring: Excellence. The five elements are like five facets on the same gem. It's difficult to pin down a single pair of virtues for each of the elements. It's easy to interpret Earth as Strength, or point out the flexibility of Water.
Spirit is unlike any of the other Rings, for it represents the character's ability to use all Rings as a single Ring. The higher a character's Spirit, the more he understands that all elements are the same element. He sees the strength of Earth, the adaptability of Water, the intuitive action of Fire and the graceful eloquence of Air. Accordingly, Spirit has no Traits.
Characters start the game with a number of Spirit Points equal to their Spirit Ring. When a player spends a Spirit Point to augment his characters Action, it represents the one moment when all elements are in perfect synchronicity. IT is never a conscious act on the character's part to directly influence the action. The character will, more than likely, be surprised at his own skill (if the Action is successful, that is), step back and say "How did I do that?" There will be more information about Spirit Points later.