I found a server that started as a small realm for friends and then turned into a public forever world. The whole point is to build big stuff over time and make the world feel lived in with lore and history.
It has factions so you can make your own group and recruit people. You can claim land so your town does not get griefed and you can also make allies and try to become the biggest faction.
The economy is player driven and you earn progress by mining and grinding resources then making shops and competing in the market. They are building a shop hub that is going to be the main trading area.
The End is disabled so there is no easy elytra. The gameplay is meant to be balanced and fair with no pay to win. The owner is also looking for players who want to help build public hubs.
