The mindeset and thinking of my character

[Moreplovac]

Hello, I'm new to this forums as a member, not a new one as a stalker, so let us begin!

My character started out as a Human War Domain Cleric that is Chaotic Good.

The campaign setting is one of a homebrew of my GM. I started out with a party of a Human Sorcerer (secretly a Charlatan), A Dwarf Paladin (Hermit/AKA won't tell anything to the party) and a secretive Elf Druid (Also a Hermit).

We had been elected to make a new city for the Human Kingdom that has recently been a slave city to the Dragons/Dragonborn/Half-Dragons. We had constructed the bases for a new city and bla bla bla. In the meantime I died in a fight against Goblins whose area it seems we were populating, and I got my powers from said being that raised me from the dead. (There are no dieties in this game).

To fast forward it a bit, I sacrificed my best friends son to a cult which I tried to get into and destroy from within (Which in turn my GM has changed my alingment to Chaotic Neutral). I have fought a goblin army alongside my own and we had won with sacrifices and casualties to both sides.

And to shorten it a bit more, we had to leave the town to close a portal of doom that loomed over the battlefield. Now, my character's basic outlook of his personality are:

Personality trait: Help whoever needs it
Ideal: Honesty - Why would I lie about the things I am not.
Bond: Protect those who cannot protect themselves
Flaw: Secretly, I believe it would be better if I were a tyrant lording over... (Which is a direct consequence of me leading a peasant revolt against a local tyrant as part of my background).

Now, after 10 days of absence my party arrives at the city to find out that the eastern general (she was at the border of the Dragonborn, and she officially hates their guts), has returned to the city and has established a military dictatorship.

We were sorrounded by people that are "worshipping" us, as we were a big political figure that has gone missing. My victorious army and their wounded has arrived at the city a few days before, and now this is an obstacle to my plans.

So, how would my character go about this obstacle, I have a few suggestions in mind, but I would love to hear the community's thoughts about this.

Also, the details of the city are as follows:
- Were lead by a council of seniors - which started dissapearing one by one
- There is a mage/sorceror order called the "Cabal" who is conspiring to change the leadership into something like a magical-leaders only.
- A Death Cult which I was trying to be a part of, but ended badly.
- This woman and her army from the eastern border.
- Me and my pals with a victirous but battered army from the west.

Thank you for your suggestions. :)

[Falcon X]

A few thoughts:

It's only been 10 days. That military dictatorship has barely even started, let alone produced loyalty. As far as the people are concerned, I would assume that you and this Eastern General are on equal stance to who they trust more. So, if you could seize the throne, you might be accepted.

1. If the city views both the Western armies and Eastern armies as factions of the city, it will be easy enough to merge the two armies into one, then handle the squabble over dictatorship as a one-on-one political battle. Find a way to disgrace her. Or if she has a code of honor, figure out if it has a way to challenge her personally for the throne.
2. If instead the city views both armies as invaders, then you have a fight on your hands. Stir up trouble elsewhere to draw the armies out, then take the city while the defenses are weak.
- If you know you can't win in a fight, then you will have to be crafty. Come into the city and submit to her authority, but only if you are in an extremely high position. Have the two armies merged. After some time, execute a mutiny/revolution with lots of traps. This might start to go against your Honesty ideal which could create an interesting character arc of self-loathing.

Creative ideas:
A. Convert her... with force: Kill her and raise her as an undead that is loyal to you. Back in third edition (and the Salvatore novel "Exile"), there was a spell called "Animate Dread Warrior (http://alcyius.com/dndtools/spells/unapproachable-east--33/animate-dread-warrior--3468/index.html)". Simply put, find this spell somewhere in the world, kill the Eastern General, then revive her as your loyal subject who will then hand command over to you.
B. The Cabal: Now is their time to act, while the Western General is still establishing herself. Go make a persuasive argument that, if they take over, will give you full power of military, but them having full power where they desire it. They could help with plan A. Then later, you might be able to execute them if you desire.

[Corran]

Parley with the eastern general. Convince her that the mages' conspiracy and the threat of that death cult are big issues that can be solved only if you combine your forces. That way you avoid throwing your tired nd wounded army straight into another battle against her forces, which would probably be really bad. Try to point out all the things you have in common (both military figures and battle-hardened warriors) and how you both are different to the magic users and the cultists (present them as mutual enemies). After you have solved all your problems, either make a deal with her and remain allies, or try to have her killed. Not the most honorable thing to do, but that would prevent a war which would cost many lives. Then become yourself the tyrant in her stead (realizing your flaw) and say muhaha...!

[Kane0]

A: Try to align with the Magic users, offer to be their presence among the people and their martial arm while they rule (then undermine or replace when and where appropriate)
B: Try to align with the other general, offer to join forces against a perceived common foe
C: Try to stay neutral and provoke the other general and magic users to clash while your forces recouperate, then finish off the weakened victor
D: Try to play the Cult as a wild card to keep each faction fighting but not winning until you can maneuver yourself to an advantage
E: Rally the people and have them decide who they want to rule, then rig the process in your favor.

Lots of bargains and backstabbing whichever way you go with.

[Moreplovac]

@Falcon X

"My army" nor the eastern army are seen as invadors, they're seen as protectors of the Human Kingdom, and we have just bashed the Goblin army to smithereness on the west border, although not without casualties.

The Cabal sees only magic users (such as Sorcerors and Wizards if I understood correctly) to be the only political leaders and others are beneath them. If I side with them and be their "military" hand as you suggest, I would go against my own Bond with the people of the realm. The only posibility there is to make them allies or smash them to pieces. Good ideas though. :)

@Corran

That could be the best possible course for my characters mentality. He a bit of an old "honorable" blacksmith that just got to be a military leader twice or so and has that reputation. The eastern general would surely know of me, if not, she will after I have announced myself. Thank you for your suggestion. :D

@Kane0

A: My guy would dislike that, although he is a magic user, he feels as he is an extend arm of the people. He will not let those people be trampled upon.
B: That is a great idea.
C: That's a no-no. We have a possibilty of a Dragonborn/Half-Dragon army approaching from the east as well as more trouble with the goblins in the south. If we were to clash here in the city as well, the realm would be paralyzed.
D: That would be ideal, but I would rather aling myself to the would-be-dictator now, or take over her position. The Cabal has been on the sidelines, something like a council of Littlefigers is there and I doubt that would be as easy to move as the eastern general.
E: There would be no need to rig the process, I would win with a slight advantage over the dictator, but the system of ruling is not a democracy, it was a seniority-council like rule, and now a dictatorship, if I rally people to my would-be cause, there would be war within the city, and I don't want to lose any more people.

Thanks for your suggestions bro. :)

Glad that I have so much to choose from actually, keep the suggestions coming. Also I have forgot to say, not only the eastern army has arrived in the city, but the northern as well. We do not know what happened to the leader though, and before the arrival of both the armies, the conservative council members were dissapearing one by one, probably hinting at the eastern general's motives and/or intervention.

[JackPhoenix]

To fast forward it a bit, I sacrificed my best friends son to a cult which I tried to get into and destroy from within (Which in turn my GM has changed my alingment to Chaotic Neutral). I have fought a goblin army alongside my own and we had won with sacrifices and casualties to both sides.

And to shorten it a bit more, we had to leave the town to close a portal of doom that loomed over the battlefield. Now, my character's basic outlook of his personality are:

Personality trait: Help whoever needs it
Ideal: Honesty - Why would I lie about the things I am not.
Bond: Protect those who cannot protect themselves
Flaw: Secretly, I believe it would be better if I were a tyrant lording over... (Which is a direct consequence of me leading a peasant revolt against a local tyrant as part of my background).

I don't want to start another alignment debate, but this action is pretty much against everything you character stands for (there's nothing honest about lying to get into a cult, and sacrificing someone is not really chaotic, but straight up evil, and hardly "protecting those who cannot protect themselves". There aren't many details, so maybe there was a good reason, but still, I find it weird given the presonality.

[Moreplovac]

@JackPhoenix

That is correct. My character didn't actually lie to get into the cult, he helped a few members take down a few goblins as an act of vengeance against their fallen comrades, to which they gave me a way to enter into the cult. I did, and when I was told to sacrifice my friends' son to the cult, I did it out of a reason to destroy the cult from within as one human sacrifice can help me save the whole city.

But yes, even with that reasoning I did a really cruel evil act and my alingment changed from CG to CN.

[Kane0]

Not that it matters, alignment in 5e is thankfully only a method of tracking character arcs and broad descriptions (which it often fails at, just stroll through the forums).

Anyway, how about a palpatine or orcus/mephistophales approach? For the former, place yourself in a somewhat minor position then instigate more power to be allocated to you while also removing threats (essentially a series of xanatos gambits). For the latter, fake your death and assume the role of some other random entity you can use to bring about your original self's re-rise to power, better if its from within an opposing force.

No matter what you choose to do, better get some xanatos gambit practice.