KONGSI Join the alpha
The river mouth of Kuala Kelam at night, stilt godowns and lanterns seen through rain

Kuala Kelam, 1874

The river runs on favours.

Build a kongsi in a lamp-lit tin port. Recruit taiko, work the jetties, pay the duit kopi, take the town.

Join the closed alpha Read the oath
Weathered hands holding wet tin ore and a rough tin ingot by lamplight

On paper, a clan house.

Kuala Kelam, 1874. Tin pours out of the hills, and traders from China, India, Europe and the Malay states crowd one muddy river mouth.

The Residency has outlawed the sworn brotherhoods. So every brotherhood calls itself a kongsi, and does its real business after dark.

Four kinds of taiko. One kongsi.

A taiko is a member of your crew. Each one leans on a strength and can rise to an office.

A Pendekar stands on a jetty in the rain

Pendekar

Muscle. Holds the jetty when the rain comes, and the rivals with it.

Leans on
Berani (nerve)
Rises to
Tiang Merah, the red pole who keeps the peace
A Tauke's hands move over an abacus by lamplight

Tauke

Trade. Turns a sack of tin into a warehouse of favours.

Leans on
Licik (cunning)
Rises to
Kipas Putih, the white paper fan who keeps the books
A Juru Risik watching through a gap in a bamboo blind

Juru Risik

Eyes. Knows which godown is empty before its owner does.

Leans on
Licik
Rises to
Perintis, the vanguard who walks in first
A sealed envelope passed beneath a table

Orang Dalam

Inside. Has a friend in every office that matters.

Leans on
Nama (name)
Rises to
Selipar Jerami, the straw sandal who carries the word

Every taiko walks in as a Blue Lantern.

A blue paper lantern burning in the rain

Tanglung Biru

The Blue Lantern. Unsworn, unpaid, and watched by everyone in the house.

Crossed blades raised over a walking figure beside a fire bowl

Sumpah

Under the crossed blades, the oath paper burns. Now they are Saudara, sworn kin of your kongsi.

A lamp-lit coffee shop with an open ledger and copper coins

The offices

Raise your best to office. The fan keeps the books, the red pole keeps the peace, the sandal carries the word.

The long council table in lamplight, empty chairs drawn up

Tuan Bukit

And at the head of the table, you.

An evening's ledger.

The kopitiam is the front. The ledger is the business.

  1. Kopitiam takings, six hours+720
  2. Kerja Jalan, a Pendekar on the night jetty+210
  3. Kerja Niaga, tin carried to the godown+880
  4. Protection, two shophouses on the river road+300
  5. Duit kopi, the harbour clerk−150
  6. Wages, four taiko−190
  7. Bengkel, a new set of tools−400
  8. Gudang roof, raised a level−900
Carried forward 470 KOPI

Duit kopi: coffee money. A quiet favour, paid in coins.

$KOPI is earned in Kuala Kelam and spent in Kuala Kelam. It never leaves the port.

A long council table in lamplight with empty chairs

Every week, the council sits.

The kongsi with the most influence takes the head of the table. Then the chairs are reset, and the river starts again.

When the doors open, you sign in with your Nimiq wallet. No password. Your wallet is your seal.

Words of the port

Take a seat at the table.

The doors open to a small first crew. Leave your email and we will send one message when they do.

Ties your seat to your wallet.

One email when the doors open. No tracking, no sharing.