Kais Kogong

Overview
Kais Kogong is a harbor town on the southernmost continent of Alathra, and the capital of Kogongu. It was founded by Vasya on April 4th, 2021. Kais Kogong sits at the mouth Morgana Bay. Notable inhabitants include Vasya, a druid and priestess of the old forest gods and Hermit Hargreevs.

Founding
Following the pre-server events chronicled in the Kaido, Vasya went in to hiding for a number of years, establishing the first house of Kais Kogong as well as the original holy site.

Hargreevs first came to the settlement of Kais Kogong while she was under contract by Grandpa_boob to deliver the virtue rhetoric to new cities and towns in hopes of rallying them under the Lothridge cause. Vasya, at the time the only inhabitant, was not impressed, and introduce Hargreevs to Naist philosophies, teaching her meditation practices at the holy site. The two had several conversations discussing the ultimate goals of existence, with Vasya refuting Lothridge's ideals of power.

The settlement eventually attracted the attention of Game_Glider_SKG, who joined it the first time he came onto the server. Hargreevs joined soon after. The three of them envisioned a city that would be a hub not for warriors and conquerors, but for scholars, philosophers, and artists. The town began expanding as construction of the Great Library of Kais Kogong began.

Early Expansion
As the town expanded, several new structures were added, including the Singing Squid inn, as well as Game Glider and Hargreev's houses. New houses were created to house the nether portal and sugarcane, and the library started being built across the river. Plans were made for a council building, but were later abandoned, with the non-hierarchical structure of the city taking precedence. The leaders of the town instead meet at the back table of the inn.

The Tree
On April 9th, a strange custom tree was placed behind Kais Kogong. Its roots went down to bedrock and it sat in a pool of water surrounded by infested stone brick. The grass around the tree is noticeably discolored and it has a beehive, as well as several honey blocks. The inhabitants of the town believed there to be an artifact nearby, but none were discovered.



The Library
The library is a large, detailed structure. It houses an iron farm (no longer automatic as per server rules) and a villager trading hall featuring most high level enchantments. As of June 6, 2021 it is not complete, as builds of this scale and detail take a lot of time. The library houses an impressive catalog of books, including all current volumes of the Kaido, the Tavras book of the sun, and the Kren'tir. There are currently over 20 volumes in the library, making it the largest known collection.

Late Expansion
As the library continued to be built, the town was expanding more as well. The church of Naia, built by Hargreevs, became the second largest structure in the town. Vasya added docks to the growing waterfront, and a fish shop was created by Hargreevs, who was now the highest level fisher on the server. A blacksmith shop and mine were also constructed.

Future Plans
A Large terraforming project was undertaken by Vasya on the south end of town in order to create more buildings. Planned structures include a greenhouse, windmills and a bell tower.

Social Structure
Kais Kogong uses non-hierarchical organization in order to function. Though Vasya is technically the "King" of Kogongu because of towny rules, she holds no more power than the other members. Every member has an equal voice in discussions, and none are forced to act against their will. In this sense, it could be compared to an anarchist commune in which all members contribute equally for the good of the group, and resources are often shared between members. A job board sits in the middle of the town so members know what needs to be done, and any member can add to it.

Religious Practices


While religion is not compulsory, Kais Kogong holds strong belief in Naism. The goal of Naism is not power or happiness but rather simply to overcome suffering caused by desire and the ignorance of reality's true nature (impermanence and non-existence of the self). They typically value humility and peace, striving to make the world better in nonviolent ways. Except for Hargreevs, who chooses violence.

They have a large church, although most religious activities take place at the holy site behind Hargreevs' house and at Naia's grave. Vasya regularly practices traditional meditation, while Hargreevs uses fishing as a means of meditation.

Some Naist practitioners choose not to wear diamond or Netherite armour, seeing it as a source of pride and intimidation

The holy sites typically have rock sculptures carved into cones and cylinders.

Art & Humanities


Kais Kogong is a hub of art and music. They have hosted several art events, including an open mic night and a concert by Sillie_Millie at the Singing Squid. Vasya collects books written by members of the server at the library.

Geography
The surrounding area of Kais Kogong is a plains biome surrounded by dark oak forest. There is a narrow peninsula running along the bay to the northeast, towards Wahat Almarjan, and a mountain range to the west, where Bal Duran is.