I've only recently bought the game and started playing, solo. I'm having a little difficulty applying the rules for selecting components based on their Traits, and how restrictively you should apply the definition of these. Some concrete examples might better elucidate what I mean:

I successfully pass an encounter which allows me to randomly select an 'Item' Asset from the deck. I start searching through the deck. Do I:

1) Stop at the first card which includes 'Item' as ONE of its traits, irrespective of any other traits it may have. So, if the card in question is a 'Item, Magical Weapon', this would be the card I select.

Or -

2) Stop at the first card which has ONLY the 'Item' trait, and take that. The only way to obtain the 'Item, Magical Weapon' as above would be through some game effect (most obviously a passed Test) which SPECIFICALLY refers to that combination of traits.

Conversely, If the game effect instructing you to select the card refers to a particular COMBINATION of traits, this always takes precedence over any other consideration. Again, for example:

The Active Mystery requires a particular Artefact to be obtained. It allows you to chose that Artefact from the deck whenever you obtain one rather than making a random selection. Now, you pass an encounter which allows you to select a 'Tome' Artefact. Assuming for the sake of example, obviously, that the Artefact you need for the Mystery isn't a Tome, which takes precedence? Is it:

1) The ability granted by the Mystery; you therefore ignore the reference to a Tome, and instead apply 'Artefact' as a general category, thereby allowing you to select the actual Artefact you need.

Or -

2) The stipulation that you have obtained a Tome Artefact takes priority, so that this is still the type of card that you would have to randomly select, and you would not in this case be able to take advantage of the ability provided by the Mystery.

Finally, is all of this made clearer anywhere in the Rule Book or Reference Guide? I was sure I read something to that effect on my initial pass through, but then couldn't find it later.

Hope the above is all clear. Many thanks in anticipation of any advice people can give.

The first is more easy to answer.

It is a list of traits. What the others are is of no importance when looking for a card with one (such as ITEM). So first card that has the word item is the one to choose.

The thing I would point to as a rule for that is the mention of change of separator of traits in the FAQ from january from "," to " ". I am sure there is a better rule to point to but that is what I can do from memory.

The second question I would say follow the same idea, but there I don't have anything conclusive to point to, so a little bit less sure.

I have played that as soon as you get an artifact during those conditions you can pick the one specified. It doesn't have to be a general random artifact.

Gaining a Tome Artifact is gaining an Artifact. Thus, it can be replaced by the Mystery.