Welcome to the Shards (80 Days-Inspired Game Premise)

Or more specifically, The Rose Kingdoms.

Or even more specifically, The Royal City of Golden.

Someone had a good sense of humor. Golden is a fairly disgusting city.

Premise

Golden was built on top of a swamp, or at least on the edge of one. It's muggy and humid year-round. During the monsoon season, everyone gets relief from the mosquitoes, but then has to deal with the city flooding.

For some reason, the currents in Tsúto Sea that come into the Golden Harbor are full of glass detritus. This is pretty when the glass has been buffeted smooth and dangerous before it reaches that point. Unfortunately, it leans towards the latter.

Golden also has a pest problem. The city is a hotspot for the wechogu birds, incredibly irritating birds originally from the Horseshoe Continent. They have piercing cries, regularly swoop into crowds and crash, and leave yellow smeared droppings across the city like a smeared mango custard. Some unlucky bastards are paid to scrape it up for use in paint, and indeed, many of the city buildings are painted yellow. Urban legend holds that the city's name comes from the wechogu's "gifts". (Though there is a far more boring answer about the Golden Emperor of the Roseate Empire, about two thousand years ago).

Anyway. Thankfully for you suckers, you're getting out of here. You're going around the world. In 80 days, so help you jawaa chewo. Fe Pojtáko, a wealthy Wúan woman, is betting with Integrity Rock Garden, Warden of Commerce, that a team of adventurers will make it around the world in 80 days or less - powered by her experimental steam tricycles. If the team is successful, she wins vast contracts with the Royal Administration of Golden. If she loses her bet, Loveliness Mango Rows will win the contracts instead. You all are that team.

The Known World

The Rose Kingdoms

"Tona gbo geefaa" (Excrement and Glass)

Structure

There are three kingdoms, but they're ruled by the same ruling family and operate closely. King Bravery the Heart of Our Hearts is the King of the Eastern Kingdom and is based out of Golden. King Wisdom the Unforgettable is the King of the Central Kingdom and is based out of the Third City. King Bounty the Sublime is the King of the Western Kingdom and is the de facto power in the Kingdom. The Rose Gates is the current seat of power.

Culture

People of the Rose Kingdoms are fatalistic about the near future, but have faith in their destiny. They're relatively open to other cultures in terms of using bits and pieces of other languages. In fact, they take advantage of other languages in order to maintain their duality - presenting as proud and powerful, but quite cynical and base in reality. They view the Kingdoms as a significant downgrade from the Empire and generally don't expect much of their culture and country while under the Kingdoms. But they maintain as best they can until the Empire and the Twin Creators return. They are willing to flatter and cajole the Devilish Son, but they do not worship him. This mentality applies in normal life as well. Powerful people must be flattered and cajoled, but not worshipped. There is no shame in really blatant obsequiousness because it is understood that that is just what makes life easy. Everyone belongs to a clan that probably crosses the borders of the three Kingdoms. Loyalty to your clan is very important. It's very hard to be kicked out of clans; it's much more likely that you will be sanctioned or not supported than renounced.

History

The Rose Empire was once so powerful that it controlled the Eastern Half of the World. Alas, those days are no more, and for the last two thousand years or so, the monarchy has ruled in its stead. There is an abandoned city, the former capital of the empire, at the northwestern tip of the island. After it was destroyed by the Horseshoe Ravagers, nationalists would visit and plant roses at the ruins in respect.

Demography and Population

The Roseates are the people of the kingdom. They are moderately homogeneous, with some Horseshoe people, Crescent people, Kikkoyi people, and Wúan people mixed in throughout the years. Crescent people are considered most ethnically similar (despite their paler complexion) because of the common language and their history as a loyalist territory during the fall of the Roseate Empire, and others are considered tolerated foreigners. The exception is the Kikkoyi people, who are looked down on and considered dangerous. There is a medium-sized Kikkoyi population from years of climate refugees, as the Kikkoyi islands are semi-active volcanoes.

The Splendor

The religion of the Rose Kingdoms

Mythology & Lore

The Twin Creators made the world by breaking a jar of water. The ceramic pieces that shattered everywhere became the continents, and the water became the ocean. The Roseate Empire (May It Someday Return) was created to be responsible for the rising sun. Unfortunately, it was not to last. The Roseate Empire was beaten back and eventually crumbled, and with it came the rule of the Devilish Son (colloquially known as the jawaa chewo). The Roseate Kingdom awaits the time when the Twin Creators return, bringing back the Empire. And in the meantime, the members of the kingdom placate or exorcize the Devilish Son.

Sects

The Twin Suns are truly obnoxious, if not dangerous. They believe the Twin Creators can be summoned back through audacious displays of sacrifice (that naturally put everyone else to shame), public disavowal and degradation of the Devilish Son (stupid. did they forget last year's monsoon season already?), and worst of all, arson. Worship has been banned for about a hundred years, and many of the sect members migrated to Twinkle.

Famous Clans

Most Powerful Clans

Silver Star - the Royal Clan. Royal symbols are the tiger and the color turquoise. In past generations, known to fight openly amongst themselves about the Triple Thrones (sometimes leading to civil war), although things are fairly stable since the rise of the conservative King Bounty the Sublime in the Western Kingdom.

Rock Garden - politically powerful clan, former rivals of the Golden Egg clan. Highly competitive internally, even formerly to the point of feuds. Clan color is mauve.

Mango Rows - most economically powerful clan. It has strong historical ties to Crescent and often sends its members to Crescent for their education. Clan color is amber.

Golden Egg - palace support clan based out of Golden. Most loyal to the throne of the great clans, however not as politically powerful as the Rock Gardens due to weak leadership. Clan color is cream.

Notable Golden Clans

Tiger Claw - military-oriented clan
Penny Moon - clan known for their double-barrelled first names
Brave Moon - Ekiin clan now based out of Golden
Green Dawn - an old, nationalistic clan that maintains the ancient long-distance sailing traditions

Notable Other Clans

Blue Marlin - Ekiin sailing clan now based out of the Rose Gates
Mountain Storm - Third City-based clan