Perhaps a workable idea could be having a seperate mode within fortress mode, one being God of Influence which is the current way fortress mode works, and another being Dwarf in Power/Dwarf of Influence mode. That other mode(s) would put your management centered around a single/succession of dwarves, such that you pass your "control" to the offspring. You'd then direct orders as the dwarf you are, not as much omniscient control, as whether people will listen to you directly, or whether you must set up an order of hierarchy within the citizens. The extent of this being you could control the fortress by being popular and becoming a mayor, becoming the militia commander a ironfisted dictator (the older definition), or even an Illuminati style of general influence. Wherever your extent of creativity would bring you. Though, I'd think that an adventure mode style of control over your dwarf might be a bit unfitting for this mode, but you should still have thorough control over all of that one dwarf's actions, yes?
Perhaps even have the fortress fall into standard postworldgen expedition leader/mayor/baron control when the dwarf you're playing as dies without heirs to the title of "guided by armok".
Obviously an idea that would need a LOT of work, both to conceptualize and to integrate, so what ideas do you guys have?