Culture: The king-men have always wanted a monarchy, and establishing a king named Pachus (Alma 62:7) is their first act after seizing power in Zarahemla. Pachus and his supporters immediately begin negotiating a surrender to Ammoron on condition that Pachus will be confirmed as king over the conquered land of Zarahemla. These are the exact conditions we would expect for a Mesoamerican political-military conflict.
Furthermore, this conflict has been festering in Nephite society for years. This stage represents an escalation of the pressures to become more like the larger society, shedding the unique Nephite forms that separate them from their neighbors. The king-men have continued to grow in their numbers, no doubt because the most loyal Nephites are most likely to be serving in the army on the eastern/northern and western/southern fronts, while the king-men would be the most likely to avoid military service.
Redaction: Pahoran does not tell Moroni how he knows that Pachus might be colluding with Ammoron. Perhaps Pahoran’s men had intercepted messengers headed either toward or from Ammoron, or perhaps the king-men had openly expressed this intention.