Editing Unwritten: System Reference Document/Running the Game (section)

===Mixing Epic and Personal===

Small-scale stories concern events closely connected to the PCs, and probably within a very limited area: just D’ni and a few Ages. Large-scale games are the opposite: epic tales spanning dozens of Ages with world(s)-shaking consequences. Both types of stories can be a lot of fun. However, don’t be fooled into thinking the two are mutually exclusive. Here are a couple ways to combine them.

* Start Small and Grow: This is the classic zero-to-hero story in which an unassuming individual with no pretensions to glory is suddenly swept up in events beyond the scope of his experience.
* Peaks and Valleys: Here, you’re alternating the large-scale with the small, using the latter almost as something of a breather. Typically, the large-scale storylines will deal with epic threats, while the small-scale storylines will be of a more personal nature, with few if any connections to the earth-shaking events transpiring in the characters’ lives. The small-scale sessions serve as something of a breather between all that epic action, and give the players a chance to delve into some unexplored corners of their characters. Plus, if you want to connect the small- and large-scale stories down the line, you can—and the payoff will be all the more satisfying for the players.