"We'll be going through already cleared rooms. Less than one in twenty chance of a confrontation. And, of course, where would you like to start? History or current affairs?"

"Short version: Everything's fucked by the crazy King," the minotaur says. Amber gives him a Look.

"Brief overview of history," Klbkch says, though he'll remember later if said King doesn't come up.

The other two entourage members participate here and there as they start making their way back out- Up, mostly, and past clear trail marks and referencing a map they made on the way in, they're clearly competent as adventurers go-

In the mists of history, Armello consisted of scattered tribes of different kins constantly fighting each other. (The dungons, it seems, are from a far earlier time than even this, a largely unknown one.) Over time, there was more trade and industry and the network of noble and clan alliances grew denser and denser as the cleverest Clan leaders consolidated and multiplied. The Druids protested the consolidation of power and growth of cities, declaring them 'deviations from the old ways', but the people densified anyway- And then cities quickly became hotbeds of crime, plague, and Rot. The early period of known Armellan history was dominated by conflict between City nobles and rural folk, and with cults and criminals causing chaos. Many cities burned down in civil strife, or were sacked and looted, or died slow starving deaths as they failed to secure enough food. Only a few major Clans survived this period of chaos intact. The four great clans are Rabbit, Bear, Wolf, and Rat, with Rabbit known for industry and invention, Bear for agriculture and magic, Wolf for martial might and honor, and Rat for commerce, trade, and influence.

Seeing the chaos of past ages, a mighty Lion who had journeyed across the sea returned with tales of distant lands and the determination, wisdom, and skills to negotiate peace- A new king, a new law, a new Armello for a new age. All was well for six decades. Cities grew, mostly peacefully. The Royal Guard protected and enforced laws. Trade bloomed. The Palace's splendor captured the machinations of the powerful, keeping them from crushing the populace. There were even sightings of Druids restoring old stone circles and magic wards in the more traditional-minded places. Three years ago, the King's decrees stopped making any kind of sense. Random taxes, releasing criminals from their punishments, dispatching his sworn guards to sack merchant caravans, and using his nebulous Kingly powers to spread chaotic storms and plague. It's gotten worse and worse, and the four Great Clans' spies reported that the King has become infected with Rot, and is growing paranoid and evil. His Guard remain fanatically loyal and there is no other power trusted to keep order, with the Four Clans now at each others' throats for power and settling on an agreement to cooperate to depose the corrupted king, and to compete for the Crown rather than descend into all-out war. 

(Obviously, the Rabbit before him makes several logical arguments for why Rabbit is the best option for the next ruler.)

Less than a century of unification, and descent once more into barbarity. It is as much as one can expect. Even his own Queens—

It is irrelevant. He wonders what the Druids' angle is, in all of this. What the Lion, the King, found across the sea, or if the tale is pure fabrication. What the Rot is, truly, for all they've spoken of it. This is a young and ignorant civilization, if their great cities are a matter of recent history; if he suspects correctly that the Rot is a curse ancient and buried, the answers will only be found in the depths of their dungeons.

He has no interest at this time in digging them up. No, instead...

Klbkch wonders how hard the King is to kill.

He has no stake in the power struggle yet, save the minimum required to secure a return to Izril. If he discovers resources in this land worth buying... then he will see.

At length they emerge from the dungeon. It's late afternoon. There are black thorns and deep purple-black moss growing everywhere, though the forest off towards where Amber proceeds is much more wholesome looking. Probably a very local effect.

"What dangers did you face, as a Guardsman, Prognugator? What advice would you have for Armello due of it? We will need as much of it as we can get, frankly."

"Liscor is a relatively peaceful city, with low rates of crime. As I am one of the most high-leveled combatants in the Watch, I am therefore frequently deployed for monster extermination. The creatures of the Floodplains, where Liscor is located, can be dangerous to travelers, especially during the spring and summer months. However, my understanding is your problem is not external monster attacks, but a loss of internal order in the Kingdom."

"I would agree with that understanding. Wildlife and monsters are- Not harmless, but quite manageable, when there is order. Dark cults? Opportunistic mercenaries? Desperate hunters turning to banditry? Spies and assassins striking lest their masters' foes strike first... We are destroying ourselves."

"And you wish to restore this order by replacing the King."

"That alone won't do it, I'm sure. It'll be the work of a generation. Again. But we certainly can't restore order without replacing the King with someone... Un-Rotted."

"Is there a plan to prevent the replacement from being rotted?"

"Not as such. The Wyld is much more stable than, and opposes, the Rot. It's evil, frankly. The Wyld may be inscrutable but as a matter of stability I've been growing more favorable to it, of late. Someone is going to need to find a Druid and seek lessons. Perhaps the Bears know the answers, as well."

He nods.

"What is this competition for the crown you speak of, then?"

"It's hardly a secret. The Four Great Clans have all met together, the rabbit matriarchs, the wolf elders, the bears' spiritual leaders, the rats' guild heads, and agreed that who slays the King in battle shall be the next Ruler of Armello, with the support of all four clans. As the four greatest power brokers of Armello, it is all but assured the chosen claimant will be accepted by the people at large. Should the King perish to progressive rot without being killed by anyone in particular, there will be a score tallied by the number of valorous or meritous deeds of the candidates and their dishonorable ones. This is why I'm taking care to publicize my work. Should that score also tie and neither claimant concede, there will be a duel."

"You believe there is a significant chance the King perishes to rot, then."

"It is inevitable. Within two years for certain, if nobody kills him- I have Ms. Mask's information networks on the listen for plans to that effect. And those two years are more chaos and destruction and death to the Kingdom, every day he clings on."

And do what, if she finds out about them?

If his Queen were to somehow become Aberration, he would slay her on the spot rather than let self-destruction bring the Hive to the brink of annihilation. Then again, Czkelcill would not, and Klbkchhezeim can hardly claim he is the wiser of them two. In any case, in this situation, it is beneficial to have the ear of a diplomat more than a warrior, so he cares not to judge.

A throne is meant to be won and having the correct ruler on top of it afterwards is an important long term issue!

Anyway, she would like to make idle chat about Liscor's economy, defenses- Things that aren't important secrets, naturally- Politics, etc. They're all walking but making fast time, the whole party moving at a good march, if not quite Runner speed.

He can talk about public facts about Liscor's economy and defenses. There are actually not many secrets, there, and especially not many secrets that Klbkch knows. It is protected by walls and advantageous geography, and fields a mercenary army as a significant portion of its income; as a result, it enjoys a secure position relatively neutral in inter-city politics. It is in theory a stronghold against incursion from the north, but this has not happened in many decades, and since the Antinium Wars is considered by many to be unlikely to happen within their lifetimes.

They come to a wretched little village, on the edge of a swamp. The farmers here are surly and wary, but Amber quickly wins them over with stories and words, weaving a tale of defeating monsters, a delve into a perilous dungeon, and the finding of a noble new insectoid ally.

The minotaur is dispatched to repair someone's cart, Ms. Mask vanishes, a headsman's house is promised for the night.

"I think someone will slip out of the village soon and warn our culprit in the city," Amber says conversationally when the whirl of politicking brings her close to Klbkch again. "I'd like to know who they report our arrival to- Ms. Mask is lying in wait, but it's common to send several decoy runners to throw tails like this."

She's good at this. Amber reminds Klbkch of the human nobles from the north, on the rarer occasions he's had to meet them. Drakes and their Wall-Lords are more coarse in their politics, more mechanical even where they engage in legalistic wordplay and schemes. Human nobles make more of an art of it—an art he does not fully comprehend, even with the Antinium's many ears to learn from.

He is not adequately oriented to assist with the arrest, and he assumes Amber knows that and is accordingly not requesting him of it.

"If you do not have reliable truth detection capabilities, I can assist with interrogations."

"That would certainly help identify decoys faster. Very good."

She arranges for the crew to 'retire for the night' and then slip out into the outskirts, along the road towards the city, after casting a brief glamour of not-my-problem with a thirty second chant. Ms. Mask meets them out there.

Skills and magic with an extended incantation are quite rare, and often quite dramatic, so he suspects something different is going on here. He doesn't immediately comment on it.

...By the way, now that night has fallen, Klbkch may have the chance to notice any characteristics of the moon(s?)

There are two. One is large and white and currently at half. The other is very small and purple and full and is in a weird part of the sky.

"The moons I am familiar with are green and blue, and more similar in size. This supports your theory that I am from a different world."