This section is for articles containing background information that doesn't involve rules changes. Generally, these will be the kinds of things that one might think to look for in the reference section of a library or similar facility.
- Calendars in Known Space (Jeff Zeitlin) What's today's date? That depends on who you ask. This article looks at how the major starfaring races number their days.
- An Outline of Jump Physics (Ingo Heinscher) An explanation of what Jump and Jumpspace are.
- Common Languages of the Regency (Jeff Zeitlin) An overview of the languages spoken Behind the Claw.
- The Failure of Noblesse Oblige and the Rebellion (Ehren Gresehover) A discussion of the forces that allowed the failure of Noblesse Oblige to lead to the Rebellion.
- Real Power is Local Power (Andrew Bernstein) An outline of the realities imposed on the exercise of power.
- An Analysis of Tech Levels (Ken Pick) A discussion of the qualitative difference between tech levels.
- The 17th Disjuncture (David Drazul) A brief look at the philosophical origins of a Vargr state
- Fuel Harvesting Stations (Paul Hillers) Not everyone can do wilderness refueling...
- Timekeeping in the Third Imperium (Guy Garnett) Standards and Commons in measuring time
- Anti-Slavery League (Paul Hillers) Extreme violations of rights call for extreme responses, don't they?
- DiGroat Packet Lines (Bill Cameron) From an economy-builder to a major courier company.
- Feeding the Masses: Basic Imperial Food (Ade Stewart) Easily available, low-cost, and bland...
- An Ancient Mystery: Darrian Ruins in the Sacnoth Dominate (David Johnson) What is the Maghiz, and should the Sword Worlds worry?
- Squeedles and the Cult of Carsten (David Bennett) Is there more to squeedles than it appears?
- Battle Dress User Interface at Higher Tech Levels (Jeff Schwartz) Taking advantage of all of the brain's input processing
- The Compassion Corps (Jeff Zeitlin) Roving medical response and assistance
- Vargr Iconography (Thomas Jones-Low) An overview of Vargr symbolism
- Non-Humans in Sacnoth Dominate Space (David Johnson) A look at four non-Sword-World societies from a pre-Imperial viewpoint
- What's in a Name? Aesirist Revisionism in the Sword Worlds (David Johnson) A look at the putative origins of the Sword World names
- The Code Duello (Jeff Zeitlin) When there are rules for "calling someone out"
- Combat Equipment Kit of the Ziru Sirka Infantry (Michael A. Cessna) What the well-equipped Vilani soldier carried
- Building Your Mercenary Unit: Teeth to Tail (Paul Hillers) A mercenary unit should be more that a bunch of guys with guns...
- The Coyns of the Droyne: Symbolism and Interpretation (Jeff Zeitlin) A ‘scratch’ guide to understanding a central part of Droyne thinking
- Emperors of the Rule of Man (Mick Bailey) Capsule descriptions of the rulers of the Second Imperium
- Jump Destinations Short writeups of worlds for campaigns.