The Culture's Special Circumstances (SC) section suggests that he goes to participate in a games tournament in an alien civilisation, the Empire of Azad, where a complex game (also named Azad) is used to determine social rank and political status.
The Culture's Special Circumstances (SC) section suggests that he travels to participate in a games tournament in a distant and isolated alien civilisation, the Empire of Azad. In the Empire a complex game (also named Azad) is used to determine social rank and political status.