Reading this article was the inspiration for climate changed world it takes place in.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-map-greenland-helps-understandin...

I think about the warming north and lost cultures a lot.  This article made me ponder what could be under the ice from years long gone.  Surely 100,000 years of glaciers grinding its surface have left little in the way of structures, but perhaps something remains.  Possibly protected by pockets of water under the ice or geologic forces or radical landscapes.  Perhaps only moss covered entrances to long lost caverns guarded by decayed traps and spirits of the dead remain.  Maybe the ice was holding back entrances to subterranean empires of twisted, mutated, cannibalistic, merchants. 

This line of thinking was quickly coupled by the idea I've seen floating around of an 1800s world bringing together Pirates, Samurai, Commanche, and gunslingers, in an exploration game.  The idea of a warmed north in a Steampunk world allowed for this without touching on Colonialism directly, while using the real world history to quickly establish a setting that the players would know.  Allowing people to discuss how they would like to approach Colonialism, in their game, at their table.  I highly recommend that you have this discussion before playing.