User summary:
An IP-free version of Chapter Seven, "Aspects," from The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game, Volume 1: Your Story, made freely available on the faterpg.com website.
From Introduction:
What Are Aspects?
The central character attributes in FATE are called aspects. Aspects cover a wide range of elements and define what makes your character unique—basically, they describe the core of your character's identity. (By contrast, skills and stunts could be said to paint a similar picture of what your character can do, rather than who he is.)
Aspects can be:
Relationships (Mama's Boy, Chosen of the Dread Lord)
Beliefs (The Lord Is My Shepherd, Nothing Is Forever)
Catchphrases (Can't Keep My Mouth Shut, "It's Not My Fault!")
Descriptors (Wiseass Wizard, Rugged as the Road)
Items (My Vorpal Sword Goes Snicker-Snack, My Lucky Rabbit's Foot)
Pretty much anything else that paints a vivid picture of the character (Big Man On Campus, Anger Is My Constant Companion)
In terms of game rules, aspects are the main avenue by which you gain or spend fate points for your character. Fate points are a kind of currency that can be spent for bonuses, and they are earned when aspects cause problems and complications for the character.