Aspic Palmeri

Aspic Palmeri was the de facto leader of the mortals of Zaradene during the first days of the angelic occupation.

Aspic grew up a shipwright's apprentice in the harbor district, where he carried out the necessary but distasteful tasks of construction on his master's behalf. Sadly, even once he came of age, Aspic never got the hang of the trade; he had no head for business and lacked the imagination to deal with exigencies. But Aspic also had no wish to become a thief, the usual career path for out-of-work scoundrels in the harbor. After several frustrated years, Aspic entered politics, becoming the harbor's alderman. He served moderately well in this capacity, marginally improving the safety of dockside streets and keeping Zaradene's port well-organized and attractive to Schallsea merchants.

After the angelic attack on the night of the Puncture and the subsequent imprisonment of Mayor Chance, Aspic, showing uncharacteristic initiative, rounded up some of his contacts and accidentally became the leader of the resistance. He sited the resistance in the network of tunnels beneath Zaradene, dug for various purposes at various times in the city's long history; he'd become familiar with the tunnels while working as a low-level smuggler between jobs in the harbor. Aspic's quick thinking undoubtedly saved lives and preserved hope during the city's occupation. While he never did think of a plan to eject the angels, the arrival of Seth Mase on the scene relieved him of responsibility, and the resistance was soon off to found the colony of Adastra to the east of the city.

Aspic hovers on the edges of the leadership of Adastra, which centers on Chance and Bratha. He is not ambitious, but he is conscientious and surprisingly brave for a man of his mildness, and he may yet be useful again to the refugees.