Mythic Britain

How important is setting?
If you are like me, it's very important, perhaps more important than system or characters because setting defines everything. The setting is the framework on which everything else hangs. Setting defines various aspects of who the characters will be. Setting describes the laws of physics and magic if any. Setting establishes the geography and nature of the place where the action of play will take place.
What happens when not enough attention is paid to setting? For me it is a loss of verisimilitude and enjoyment. Inconsistencies in the setting tend to result in a surreal feeling, which may be the goal in a dreamland, but otherwise it just feels disjointed and random (in a bad way). Decisions made with regard to the setting can greatly influence system choice as well. Some systems work best under certain assumptions and produce certain kinds of results during play. Matching the setting and rule systems can greatly aid play.
There are many published settings. Some claim to be system neutral, although I still argue that they work better with some rule systems than with others. Like most in this hobby, I have my favorite published settings. The Design Mechanism published Mythic Britain during their RuneQuest 6 days and have made minor adaptations to fit their current system, Mythras.

Mythras is a d100 roll under skill-based role-play system. It has similarities (and differences) with other popular d100 systems including Basic Role-Playing, Call of Cthulhu and RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. The Design Mechanism publishes a number of setting books for Mythras and has more in the works. Among the historic (Mythic) settings currently available are Constantinople and Rome.
Mythic Britain is set in a dark age fantasy Britain with Merlin, Arthur, druids and Saxons. Mythic Britain is divided into two parts, the setting material proper and a series of adventures that can be run separately or combined campaign play. As with the other setting books in the Mythic series, care is taken to present a believable world with much that seems familiar and expected. But this is "mythic" history so the fantastic and supernatural also plays a significant role in the setting. In Mythic Britain the authors draw heavily on folk tradition and the Camelot, King Arthur legends, making use of the unknown nature of the dark ages and occasionally borrowing from the fictional Arthurian traditions to weave a rich tapestry that is both familiar and surprising.
The legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table has inspired imaginations for centuries. The Arthur presented in Mythic Britain is more Celtic war chief than high medieval king. Roman Britain is a memory allowing for a renewal of many of the old Celtic ways and the new Saxon invaders bring yet a different pagan belief than the one that existed before the Romans brought Christianity to the isle. The druids, long suppressed by the now-absent Romans, have re-emerged and the mythic spirits and forces of the land, fey, dragon and demon, have found renewed strength in their struggle to fill the power vacuum.
The stage is set. The cast is assembled. It is up to you to determine what dramas will play out in your Mythic Britain.