Parenting

I remember selling god gear to a rather small faction, so that they'd fight another. Then as they died and were focused on that, I just claimed their land. Of both.

I also raided an ally's secret area that their youngest leaked, then conviced them to join me by promising to give them shelter and loot - as a kind ally.

I just kept absorbing factions. Only one man made me ask politely, the one who outwitted me by being a pacifist. Hugger of war, lord of conquest completely enthralled by that which he could not have. He had conquered me and in doing so, conquered the server.