After you get an Emblem as a reward for accumulating "favor" with a particular Giant, some Skill paths require you to "show your commitment" to a particular learning path by "spending" that Emblem you received as a reward.
To "spend" an Emblem, you merely have to interact with the object by clicking on it to open up a sub-menu, where you can "spend" it, as well as some other Metabolic-boosting actions.
When you've amassed a thousand favor points at a particular giant, that giant will give you an emblem. You'll have to go to one of that giant's shrines in order to collect it. Once it's in your inventory, you can do a number of things with it. Once a day, you can caress, contemplate, and consider it, and each will give you +20 mood, energy, or xp points. You can also drop it, give it to someone else, etc., but vendors won't buy them from you.
You can hold onto the emblem as long as you'd like, or you have the option to "spend" it. If you choose "spend" from the menu, you will be able to learn a new skill or series of skills. Once you've spent the emblem, it leaves your inventory, but you do get a badge and some extra xp, I believe. You can then get a second emblem from that giant, though so far the second emblems can't be spent on skills. I expect that to change as new skills are added.
Thanks for asking the question Myst! I was wondering that same thing. Thank you for the good answers btw, glum and Kaushka - you both are always so helpful! :)
Make sure you do all the other tasks before you spend it. Cant think what they are? it is on the list as you click on the emblem. It all helps with the XP :)
Thanks very much for that! I was wanting to take Mining III and donated like crazy to Zille, got the Emblem and still couldn't take it. This answers that!!!
Aww shucks. You're welcome! In general, whenever you get a new item, it's a good idea to click on it to figure out what you might be able to do with it. If you're stumped during a test, ask in the help channel or in local chat. The vast majority of glitches are friendly and helpful.
Thanks for all the informative replies.! I knew I wanted to get mining111. Concentrated hardlast test to accomplish this. Glad to say I got the emblem, then didn't know what to do with it. I presumed you just got access to mining111. So was a bit discombobbluated ...(feel free to correct spelling) when it did not appear. I may just caress it a zillion times first, well I worked my behind off for it. Sooo, It deserves my tender loving touch. Nah..bring on mining111..erm..did I say I love to mine.