Traits, Game text and Abilities

[Iceman]

The question was raised on the temple originally...
(( See the rulebook's breakdown of character and item cards for more info. ))

Traits, while listed within the text box of a card, are not part of the card's game text.
Flavor text, either as 'flavor traits' or as 'prose', is not part of the card's game text.
All of the rest of the text box constitutes the game text and thus the abilities of the card.

To put it another way:
A card has traits, and it has flavor text.
The static text and the actions that make up the rest of the text box are the card's game text, commonly referred to as 'abilities'.

Cheers.
-VIC