The Dilemmas
Every character in the game has a Dilemma section. This is a key part of your character makeup. It is a crucial decision that your character is on the verge of making. It is a decision that will alter their life. It may be a large decision or a small one, but it is important, and it's a decision that the character has been thinking about for some time.
How Dilemmas are Structured
All dilemmas are couched in some difficult balanced choice between two of the traits of Diplomacy, Economics and Technology. Each dilemma presents two options, with one option being related to one trait and the other option being related to the other trait.
Example 1: The Zurn delegate has been a diplomat for a very long time, with an illustrious career. The Zurn enjoys its work, and would like to continue doing so for as long as possible. However, the Zurn diplomat has reached a point where further advancement is blocked. To gain a promotion, the Zurn diplomat would have to pass the dreaded Ritual of the Crimson Bands. Unfortunately, the Zurn diplomat suffered a terrible accident as a youth. It would be physically impossible to pass the Ritual of the Crimson Bands without some kind of physical enhancement. Cybernetic implants would make it possible, but they are banned in Zurn rituals. Since this is not something normally checked, the Zurn delegate could try to get this technological help secretly and then hope that it is not noticed. If it's noticed, it will be the end of that long career.
This is a dilemma of Diplomacy versus Technology.
In this example, the Diplomatic choice would be to continue without change. The Technology choice would be get the cybernetic implants and use them to pass the Ritual of the Crimson Bands. It's a tough decision, weighing a long-standing desire for advancement against the risk of total failure. That's why the Zurn delegate hasn't made this choice yet...
How the Dilemma Should Affect Your Play
Clearly, this decision is an important one to your character. The Tales being Told to the Klorn can assist you in that process. Each Tale represents a conflict revolving around two of the traits. Thus, your character might find insight into your dilemma in Tales that bring the two traits of your dilemma into focus.
Example 2: The Zurn delegate is struggling with issues of Diplomacy and Technology. During the Tales of the Age of Expansion, the Zurn asks the Vim for a Tale of Diplomacy versus Technology. The Vim agrees, sending the Zurn delegate and three others off to retell the Tale of I Drank What?!? As the Tale proceeds, it might provide some illumination on the Zurn's quandary.
At the end of each Tale, when you are retelling the story to the Vim, you might color your description based on your own dilemma.
Example 3: The Tale of I Drank What?!? suggested very strongly that Technology could be very bad in many circumstances. However during the retelling of the Tale to the Vim, the Zurn diplomat might point out the victim in the story was an utter idiot, and should have known better. With proper precautions, the victim would not have been harmed, and, in fact, would have been better off. Clearly the Zurn diplomat has learned an important lesson. The Vim might even reward the diplomat's insight, modifying the Zurn's Technology trait with a permanent extra point.
Since everyone is trying to resolve their dilemmas, and since these dilemmas involve various combinations of the traits, you will not always get a Tale that involves your two traits.
Example 4: When the Zurn delegate wants to get involved in another Tale, it finds a Narani is gathering beings to tell an Expansion Tale involving Economics and Technology. The Zurn joins the Tale, to aid its Narani friend and to learn even more about the history of the future...
In fact, it is wise to balance the kinds of Tales that you retell, because you never know where you might get an insight into your own problem.
When to Make the Decision
You're not about to make that decision right away. It's a decision you're going to hold off until the last Home Character period, after the Tales of Federation. That will be the appropriate time to resolve your dilemma.
Why then?
Because it's dramatically appropriate. If you wait any longer, the game will be over and you won't be able to use that decision in game.
How to Make the Decision
When you finish the Tales of the Age of Federation, you should look at your own personal traits. These should give you a strong indication of what you have learned during the Klorn Telling, and give you a direction for how to make the choice.
Example 5: When the Zurn delegate arrived at the Telling, it had a Diplomacy trait of 5 and a Technology trait of 4. Thus, at the beginning of the Telling, the Zurn was leaning slightly away from the use of cybernetic implants.
During the Telling, you may have gained insights into the various traits. The Vim may have rewarded you for those insights. Those changes should factor into your decision.
Example 6: During the span of the Telling, the Vim rewarded the Zurn delegate with 2 additional Diplomacy traits and 4 additional Technology traits. Thus, the Zurn now has a Diplomacy trait of 7 (5+2) and a Technology trait of 8 (4+4). After the Tales of the Age of Federation, the Zurn delegate is now leaning towards the use of cybernetic implants.
You should use your scores as a guide towards your decision. You should also consider all of your experiences during the Telling.
Example 7: Besides the trait scores, there is a new opportunity to become the Prime Delegate that has opened up in the Zurn government. This is a coveted position just waiting for the delegate, but only if the delegate can pass the Ritual of the Crimson Bands. The Zurn delegate decides to risk everything and get the implants.
Draw your own conclusions based on your experience in the Telling. If the Tales have taught you that the traits are misleading, then go with what you think is the right choice. It is perfectly acceptable to override the traits, if it makes sense to you and you can justify a specific choice.
The goal is to make a difficult in-character decision in a way that you can have fun with it.