SkyCraft is a vanilla Minecraft server with an economy focus. It feels like a place where you can play normal survival and also care about trading and getting richer over time.
You can join on Java or Bedrock so it is easier to bring friends even if they play on different devices. The community has a website and a Discord too so it seems like they want people to hang out and stay connected.
SkyCraft Vanilla Economy Survival
GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IP5tarRock Medieval Geopolitics Semi Vanilla
I found a small geopolitics style Minecraft server called 5tarRock and it is semi vanilla on Java.
It has a medieval times vibe and it uses a bunch of in house made plugins to help it feel like that.
The server also has a huge detailed custom map that tries to be realistic like a planets geography.
The owner is redoing the server right now and they want a more active community instead of a big older playerbase.GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IP