I found a new SMP that is mostly vanilla and it is on 1.21.11. It has some terrain generation mods and some QOL plugins so it still feels simple but a bit smoother.
The server is really quiet right now and they want more active players to help make it feel alive. There is also simple voice chat if you want to talk while playing.
The Nether and the End are turned off for now so people do not rush the game and burn out fast. There is a world border around 4k blocks to keep everyone closer together.
They really want builders and people who will live above ground not just grind forever. They also want players to make civilizations or countries on land or islands for lore and community stuff. Whitelist is planned later once there are enough active players.
Fresh Vanilla SMP Seeking Active Builders
GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IPAdults Only Java SMP Fresh Season
I found a Java SMP that is adults only and it is in season 2 right now. It is still early to mid game so you are not super behind.
It is vanilla survival and it is meant to be long term with seasons. They keep the mods minimal and it is mostly just quality of life stuff.
The End is closed for now so people are not rushing everything. To join you do a short application then a quick Discord voice chat vibe check.GG.MINEWIND.NET New Server IP