How to play Ring of Valkas?

Question

My understanding is that artifacts and equipment are permanents. When playing the Ring of Valkas, it states that at the beginning of every upkeep you can add a +1/+1 counter to equipped creature. My confusion is the ability to equip the creature says to "Equip only as a sorcery".

My Understanding is sorcery only lasts until the end of the turn. With that said, how would the creature be equipped at the start of your upkeep to receive the +1/+1 counter? Also would the creature lose the +1/+1 counter at the end of your turn?

EDIT: Actually I think I may have read the sorcery definition incorrectly which is what is confusing my understanding.

Answer 1

You can only equip the Ring of Valkas as a sorcery (so, only during one of your main phases) but once it is equipped, the Ring stays on the equipped creature until it is moved or the creature dies. So, you put it on your creature this turn and it starts getting counters on it during your next upkeep, assuming it's still alive.

Edit: Looks like I missed part of the question. Any +1/+1 counters remain on the creature, even if you move the Ring to a different creature, or the ring is destroyed.

Answer 2

Normally, when you get priority, you are given permission to do a number of things, including:

• You may cast an instant spell.
• You may cast an non-instant spell if it's your main phase and the stack is empty.
• You may activate an ability.

That instruction overrides the above permission. To activate an ability only as a sorcery means you are subject to the same restrictions as a sorcery (or any non-instant spell, for that matter):

• You may use Equip if it's your main phase and the stack is empty.

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No, the counter isn't removed at the end of the turn or if the equipment is detached. You could end up with many counters.

Answer 3

My Understanding is sorcery only lasts until the end of the turn.

That is not correct. If something is a sorcery, or is annotated with the text "Play/Activate [this] as a sorcery" or something similar, that simply means that you can only do it during your main phase (either one), when the stack is empty. It doesn't imply anything about how long the effect lasts.

Anything that lasts only until the end of turn will say so specifically. That goes for counters as well: they stay on the permanent for the rest of the game unless something specifically removes them (or the permanent leaves the battlefield).