Email Cards

Email Cards

Email cards present fictional correspondence inside a chapter. Readers see labelled From, optional To, and Subject details above an always-expanded message body.

An email card is part of the story page. It does not send a real email or create an inbox message.

Preview

Mara Vale's warning appears with sender, recipient, and subject details above the message:

The reader sees Mara Vale as the sender, You as the recipient, the subject, and the formatted message. There is no separate Email label, envelope icon, avatar, or timestamp.

Copy the syntax

The shortest form needs a sender, subject, and non-empty body:

{email from "Mara Vale" subject "Do not open the north door"}
The spare key is beneath the third planter.
{endemail}

Add to when the scene identifies the recipient:

{email from "Mara Vale" to "You" subject "Do not open the north door"}
The spare key is beneath the third planter.

**Delete this after reading.**
{endemail}

Keep the options in this order: from, optional to, then subject. Enclose each value in matching straight single or double quotation marks.

Write the metadata

from and subject are required and cannot be empty. to is optional; when it is omitted, the reader does not see a To row.

The metadata is plain authored text. Do not put reader values, Game State values, conditional tags, or other chapter syntax inside the quoted metadata. Put changing information in the message body instead.

Only {endemail} closes the block. Put the opening and closing tags on their own lines.

Format the message body

The body must contain visible content and may use ordinary Markdown, including paragraphs, emphasis, lists, and links. It may also use supported reader values, Game State values, conditional text, and compatible chapter elements.

For example, an existing action can appear in the message body when the fictional message should offer a Game State choice:

{email from "Quartermaster" subject "Supply request approved"}
Your request is ready.

{action "Collect rope" once set game:has_rope = true}
{endemail}

The email card itself does not change Game State. In this example, only the action button can change the existing has_rope value, and it needs an active game.

Let the reader open the email

An email card is always expanded. Wrap the complete block in a reveal when readers should choose whether to read it:

{reveal "Read the message"}
{email from "Mara Vale" subject "Meet me at midnight"}
Bring the brass key.
{endemail}
{endreveal}

The reader initially sees Read the message. Opening the reveal displays the complete card.

Email cards follow the story's Element Theme.

Limits and combinations

• Email blocks cannot be nested inside other email blocks.
• Email cards and chat bubbles cannot contain each other.
• Email cards and Random Draw blocks cannot contain or cross each other.
• Keep the opening tag, body, and {endemail} in the correct order.
• The card is a presentation device, not a real message or a way to hide private information.
• Put literal examples in backticks or a fenced block so CHYOA does not turn them into a card.

When an element cannot go inside an email, place it immediately before or after the card. The story can still describe it as part of the same correspondence.

Before publishing

Save a draft and check that:

1. from, optional to, and subject appear in the required order;
2. every metadata value uses matching straight quotation marks and contains visible text;
3. both email tags are on their own lines and the message body is not empty;
4. the optional To row appears only when intended;
5. long sender names and subjects wrap cleanly;
6. Markdown, values, conditions, and compatible controls in the body behave as intended;
7. a surrounding reveal opens the complete card when one is used;
8. the card remains readable in White, Black, and Sepia appearance and on a narrow screen.