A galaxy-spanning post-scarcity civilisation of mixed humanoid and machine intelligences. Governed by hyper-intelligent AI Minds rather than any formal political structure, the Culture is anarchist, hedonistic, and interventionist – using its Special Circumstances division to meddle in less advanced civilisations it believes it can improve.

The Culture's covert operations division, tasked with intervening in the affairs of other civilisations. SC recruits agents – both Culture citizens and outsiders – willing to do the morally ambiguous work that the Culture's utopian self-image prefers not to acknowledge.

The Culture's division responsible for interactions with other civilisations. Contact handles diplomacy, exploration, and first encounters. Special Circumstances operates as a secretive subdivision within Contact, handling situations that require more forceful or covert intervention.