@@ -132,8 +132,16 @@
 				else self:fail("no such ref %s in current section", id or '') end
 			else
 				local sec, ref = string.match(id, "(.-)%.(.+)")
 				local s = self.doc.sections[sec]
+				if not s then -- fall back on inheritance tree
+					for i, p in ipairs(self.doc.parents) do
+						if p.sections[sec] then
+							s = p.sections[sec]
+							break
+						end
+					end
+				end
 				if s then
 					if s.refs[ref] then
 						return s.refs[ref], ref, sec
 					else self:fail("no such ref %s in section %s", ref, sec) end
@@ -152,9 +160,9 @@
 		kind = 'ordinary';
 	} end;
 	construct = function(self, id, depth)
 		self.id = id
-		self.depth = depth
+		self.depth = depth or self.depth
 	end;
 	fns = {
 		visible = function(self)
 			if self.kind == 'nonprinting' then return false end
@@ -267,8 +275,9 @@
 			-- without losing access to parent vars
 			local nctx = ctx:clone()
 			nctx:init(newdoc, ctx.src)
 			nctx.line = ctx.line
+			nctx.docDepth = (ctx.docDepth or 0) + ctx.sec.depth - 1
 			return newdoc, nctx
 		end;
 	};
 	mk = function(...) return {
@@ -833,13 +842,15 @@
 local function
 blockwrap(fn)
 	return function(l,c,j,d)
 		local block = fn(l,c,j,d)
-		block.origin = c:clone();
-		table.insert(d, block);
-		j:hook('block_insert', c, block, l)
-		if block.spans then
-			c.doc.docjob:hook('meddle_span', block.spans, block)
+		if block then
+			block.origin = c:clone();
+			table.insert(d, block);
+			j:hook('block_insert', c, block, l)
+			if block.spans then
+				c.doc.docjob:hook('meddle_span', block.spans, block)
+			end
 		end
 	end
 end
 
@@ -1051,9 +1062,13 @@
 		if (not last) or (last.kind ~= 'reference') then
 			c:fail('reference continuations must immediately follow a reference')
 		end
 		local str = l:match '^\t\t(.-)%s*$'
-		last.val = last.val .. '\n' .. str
+		if last.val == '' then
+			last.val = str
+		else
+			last.val = last.val .. '\n' .. str
+		end
 		c.sec.refs[last.key] = last.val
 	end};
 	{seq = '\t', pred = function(l)
 		return (l:match '\t+([^:]+):%s*(.*)$')
@@ -1062,8 +1077,9 @@
 		local last = d[#d]
 		local rsrc
 		if last and last.kind == 'resource' then
 			last.props[ref] = val
+			j:hook('rsrc_set_prop', c, last, ref, val, l)
 			rsrc = last
 		elseif last and last.kind == 'reference' and last.rsrc then
 			last.rsrc.props[ref] = val
 			rsrc = last.rsrc
@@ -1121,25 +1137,25 @@
 		elseif crit == '!' then
 			c:fail('critical directive %s not supported',cmd)
 		end
 	end;};
-	{pred = function(s) return s:match '^(>+)([^%s]*)%s*(.*)$' end,
+	{pred = function(s) return s:match '^>[^>%s]*%s*.*$' end,
 	 fn   = function(l,c,j,d)
-		local lvl,id,txt = l:match '^(>+)([^%s]*)%s*(.*)$'
-		lvl = utf8.len(lvl)
+		local id,txt = l:match '^>([^>%s]*)%s*(.*)$'
+		if id == '' then id = nil end
 		local last = d[#d]
 		local node
 		local ctx
-		if last and last.kind == 'quote' and (id == nil or id == '' or id == last.id) then
+		if last and last.kind == 'quote' and (id == nil or id == last.id) then
 			node = last
 			ctx = node.ctx
 			ctx.line = c.line -- is this enough??
 		else
 			local doc
 			doc, ctx = c.doc:sub(c)
-			node = { kind = 'quote', doc = doc, ctx = ctx, id = id }
-			j:hook('block_insert', c, node, l)
+			node = { kind = 'quote', doc = doc, ctx = ctx, id = id, origin = c }
 			table.insert(d, node)
+			j:hook('block_insert', c, node, l)
 		end
 
 		ct.parse_line(txt, ctx, ctx.sec.blocks)
 	end};
@@ -1179,9 +1195,8 @@
 		if id then
 			if c.sec.refs[id] then c:fail('duplicate ID %s', id) end
 			c.sec.refs[id] = c.mode.listing
 		end
-		j:hook('block_insert', c, mode.listing, l)
 		return c.mode.listing;
 	end)};
 	{pred = function(s,c)
 		if s:match '^[%-_][*_%-%s]+' then return true end
@@ -1196,31 +1211,116 @@
 		end
 	end; fn = blockwrap(function()
 		return { kind = 'horiz-rule' }
 	end)};
-	{seq='@', fn=blockwrap(function(s,c)
-		local id = s:match '^@%s*(.-)%s*$'
+	{seq='@', fn=function(s,c,j,d)
+		local function mirror(b)
+			local ch = {}
+			local rev = {
+				['['] = ']'; [']'] = '[';
+				['{'] = '}'; ['}'] = '{';
+				['('] = ')'; [')'] = '(';
+				['<'] = '>'; ['>'] = '<';
+			}
+			for i = 1,#b do
+				local c = string.sub(b,-i,-i)
+				if rev[c] then
+					ch[i] = rev[c]
+				else
+					ch[i] = c
+				end
+			end
+			return table.concat(ch)
+		end
+
+		local id,rest = s:match '^@([^%s]*)%s*(.*)$'
+		local bs, brak = rest:match '()([{[(<][^%s]*)%s*$'
+		local src
+		if brak then
+			src = rest:sub(1,bs-1):gsub('%s+$','')
+		else src = rest end
+		if src == '' then src = nil end
+		if id == '' then id = nil end
 		local rsrc = {
 			kind = 'resource';
-			props = {};
+			props = {src = src};
 			id = id;
+			origin = c;
 		}
-		if c.sec.refs[id] then
-			c:fail('an object with id “%s” already exists in that section',id)
+		if brak then
+			rsrc.bracket = {
+				open = brak;
+				close = mirror(brak);
+			}
+			rsrc.raw = '';
+			if src == nil then
+				rsrc.props.src = 'text/x.cortav'
+			end
 		else
-			c.sec.refs[id] = rsrc
+			-- load the raw body, where possible
+		end
+		if id then
+			if c.sec.refs[id] then
+				c:fail('an object with id “%s” already exists in that section',id)
+			else
+				c.sec.refs[id] = rsrc
+			end
+		end
+		table.insert(d, rsrc)
+		j:hook('block_insert', c, rsrc, s)
+		if id == '' then --shorthand syntax
+			local embed = {
+				kind = 'embed';
+				rsrc = rsrc;
+				origin = c;
+			}
+			table.insert(d, embed)
+			j:hook('block_insert', c, embed, s)
+		end
+
+		if brak then
+			c.mode = {
+				kind = 'inline-rsrc';
+				rsrc = rsrc;
+				indent = nil;
+				depth = 0;
+			}
+		end
+	end};
+	{seq='&$', fn=blockwrap(function(s,c)
+		local id, args = s:match('^&$([^%s]+)%s?(.-)$')
+		if id == nil or id == '' then
+			c:fail 'malformed macro block'
+		end
+		local argv = ss.str.split(c.doc.enc, args, c.doc.enc.encodeUCS'|', {esc=true})
+		return {
+			kind = 'macro';
+			macro = id;
+			args = argv;
+		}
+	end)};
+	{seq='&', fn=blockwrap(function(s,c)
+		local id, cap = s:match('^&([^%s]+)%s*(.-)%s*$')
+		if id == nil or id == '' then
+			c:fail 'malformed embed block'
 		end
-		return rsrc
+		if cap == '' then cap = nil end
+		return {
+			kind = 'embed';
+			ref = id;
+			cap = cap;
+		}
 	end)};
 	{fn = insert_paragraph};
 }
 
-function ct.parse_line(l, ctx, dest)
+function ct.parse_line(rawline, ctx, dest)
 	local newspan
 	local job = ctx.doc.stage.job
-	job:hook('line_read',ctx,l)
-	if l then
-		l = l:gsub("^ +","") -- trim leading spaces
+	job:hook('line_read',ctx,rawline)
+	local l
+	if rawline then
+		l = rawline:gsub("^ +","") -- trim leading spaces
 	end
 	if ctx.mode then
 		if ctx.mode.kind == 'code' then
 			if l and l:match '^~~~%s*$' then
@@ -1236,9 +1336,32 @@
 				end
 				table.insert(ctx.mode.listing.lines, newline)
 				job:hook('block_listing_newline',ctx,ctx.mode.listing,newline)
 			end
-		elseif ctx.mode.kind == 'quote' then
+		elseif ctx.mode.kind == 'inline-rsrc' then
+			local r = ctx.mode.rsrc
+			if rawline then
+				if rawline == r.bracket.close then
+					if ctx.mode.depth == 0 then
+						-- TODO how to handle depth?
+						ctx.mode = nil
+					end
+				else
+					if r.indent ~= nil then
+						r.raw = r.raw .. '\n'
+					else
+						r.indent = (rawline:sub(1,1) == '\t')
+					end
+
+					if r.indent == true then
+						if rawline:sub(1,1) == '\t' then
+							rawline = rawline:sub(2)
+						end
+					end
+
+					r.raw = r.raw .. rawline
+				end
+			end
 		else
 			local mf = job:proc('modes', ctx.mode.kind)
 			if not mf then
 				ctx:fail('unimplemented syntax mode %s', ctx.mode.kind)
@@ -1311,40 +1434,99 @@
 	end
 
 	if setup then setup(ctx) end
 
-
 	for full_line in file:lines() do ctx.line = ctx.line + 1
-		local l
-		for p, c in utf8.codes(full_line) do
-			if not is_whitespace(c) then
-				l = full_line:sub(p)
-				break
-			end
-		end
-		ct.parse_line(l, ctx, ctx.sec.blocks)
+	-- 		local l
+	-- 		for p, c in utf8.codes(full_line) do
+	-- 			if not is_whitespace(c) then
+	-- 				l = full_line:sub(p)
+	-- 				break
+	-- 			end
+	-- 		end
+		ct.parse_line(full_line, ctx, ctx.sec.blocks)
 	end
 
 	for i, sec in ipairs(ctx.doc.secorder) do
-		for refid, r in ipairs(sec.refs) do
-			if type(r) == 'table' and r.kind == 'resource' and r.props.src then
+		for n, r in pairs(sec.blocks) do
+			if r.kind == 'resource' and r.props.src then
 				local lines = ss.str.breaklines(ctx.doc.enc, r.props.src)
 				local srcs = {}
 				for i,l in ipairs(lines) do
 					local args = ss.str.breakwords(ctx.doc.enc, l, 2, {escape=true})
-					if #args < 3 then
-						r.origin:fail('invalid syntax for resource %s', t.ref)
+					if #args > 3 or (r.raw and #args > 2) then
+						r.origin:fail('invalid syntax for resource %s', r.id or '(anonymous)')
+					end
+					local p_mode, p_mime, p_uri
+					if r.raw then
+						p_mode = 'embed'
+					end
+					if #args == 1 then
+						if r.raw then -- inline content
+							p_mime = ss.mime(args[1])
+						else
+							p_uri = args[1]
+						end
+					elseif #args == 2 then
+						local ok, m = pcall(ss.mime, args[1])
+						if r.raw then
+							if not ok then
+								r.origin:fail('invalid mime-type “%s”', args[1])
+							end
+							p_mode, p_mime = args[1], m
+						else
+							if ok then
+								p_mime, p_uri = m, args[2]
+							else
+								p_mode, p_uri = table.unpack(args)
+							end
+						end
+					else
+						p_mode, p_mime, p_uri = table.unpack(args)
+						p_mime = ss.mime(args[2])
+					end
+					local resource = {
+						mode = p_mode;
+						mime = p_mime or 'text/x.cortav';
+						uri = p_uri and ss.uri(p_uri) or nil;
+					}
+					if resource.mode == 'embed' or resource.mode == 'auto' then
+						-- the resource must be available for reading within this job
+						-- open it and read its source into memory
+						if resource.uri then
+							if resource.uri:canfetch() then
+								resource.raw = resource.uri:fetch()
+							elseif resource.mode == 'auto' then
+								-- resource cannot be accessed; force linking
+								resource.mode = 'link'
+							else
+								r.origin:fail('resource “%s” wants to embed unfetchable URI “%s”',
+												  r.id or "(anonymous)", tostring(resource.uri))
+							end
+						elseif r.raw then
+							resource.raw = r.raw
+						else
+							r.origin:fail('resource “%s” is not inline and supplies no URI',
+											  r.id or "(anonymous)")
+						end
+
+						-- the resource has been cached. check the mime-type to see if
+						-- we need to parse it or if it is suitable as-is
+
+						if resource.mime.class == "text" then
+							if resource.mime.kind == "x.cortav" then
+								local sd, sc = r.origin.doc:sub(r.origin)
+								local lines = ss.str.breaklines(r.origin.doc.enc, resource.raw, {})
+								for i, ln in ipairs(lines) do
+									sc.line = sc.line + 1
+									ct.parse_line(ln, sc, sc.sec.blocks)
+								end
+								resource.doc = sd
+							end
+						end
 					end
-					local mime = ss.mime(args[2]);
-					local class = mimeclasses[mime]
-					table.insert(srcs, {
-						mode = args[1];
-						mime = mime;
-						uri = args[3];
-						class = class or mime[1];
-					})
+					table.insert(srcs, resource)
 				end
-				 --ideally move this into its own mimetype lib
 				r.srcs = srcs
 				-- note that resources do not themselves have kinds. when a
 				-- document requests to insert a resource, the renderer must
 				-- iterate through the sources and find the first source it
@@ -1353,8 +1535,39 @@
 				-- and a screenplay for tty/plaintext outputs.
 			end
 		end
 	end
+
+	-- expand block macros
+	for i, sec in ipairs(ctx.doc.secorder) do
+		for n, r in pairs(sec.blocks) do
+			if r.kind == 'macro' then
+				local mc = r.origin:clone()
+				mc.invocation = r
+				local mac = r.origin:ref(r.macro)
+				if not mac then
+					r.origin:fail('no such reference or resource “%s”', r.macro)
+				end
+				local subdoc, subctx = ctx.doc:sub(mc)
+				local rawbody
+
+				if type(mac) == 'string' then
+					rawbody = mac
+				elseif mac.raw then
+					rawbody = mac.raw
+				else
+					r.origin:fail('block macro “%s” must be either a reference or an embedded text/x.cortav resource', r.macro)
+				end
+
+				local lines = ss.str.breaklines(ctx.doc.enc, rawbody)
+				for i, ln in ipairs(lines) do
+					ct.parse_line(ln, subctx, subctx.sec.blocks)
+				end
+				r.doc = subdoc
+			end
+		end
+	end
+
 	ctx.doc.stage = nil
 	ctx.doc.docjob:hook('meddle_ast')
 	return ctx.doc
 end