1) What is a comfortable build for easy mode? I'm not interested in the combat mechanics at all and I just want to experience the characters and story.
Human fighter is usually the safest, I've found. For party construction, I recommend at least one thief and one mage/cleric who can do the healz, and then just add whoever you want. On easy, that should be enough.
Also explore a little bit early on if you're really not into getting your arse kicked so soon, level up a bit.
2) How should I go about exploration? Should I scour every area, top to bottom?
Yes. There are so many weird and wonderful things you'll bump into. So many weird people. So good. Also keep an eye out for random items to loot -- I don't mean in barrels, but in trees and grass and other random sorts of places on any map. There's probably a place you can look online if you're in it for the loot and not the uhh... traditional scavenging experience.
Unrelated, I just managed to get Myth: The Fallen Lords to work on my machine ;~; s-so good. I'm not sure if it's just the nostalgic effect but I feel like the AI is cleverer than most other RTS' i've played. The opponent's units seem to actually try and lure you out into favourable areas for attack and successfully guess when I'm trying to do the same to them. The only thing that shits me so far is that even though I have the cutscene files, I still don't get the cutscenes : ( or even the mission briefings which were my favourite part as a child.
how can you deny such a gloomy narrator
: '(