diff --git a/src/asset/asset.h b/src/asset/asset.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f529c6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/asset/asset.h
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Dominic Masters
+ * 
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "assetpaletteimage.h"
+#include "util/reflist.h"
+
+#define ASSET_HEADER_SIZE 3
+#define ASSET_REFERENCE_COUNT_MAX 8
+
+typedef enum {
+  ASSET_STATE_NOT_LOADED,
+  ASSET_STATE_LOADING,
+  ASSET_STATE_LOADED,
+  ASSET_STATE_ERROR,
+} assetstate_t;
+
+typedef enum {
+  ASSET_TYPE_UNKNOWN,
+  ASSET_TYPE_PALETTE_IMAGE,
+} assettype_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+  const char_t filename[FILENAME_MAX];
+  ref_t refListArray[ASSET_REFERENCE_COUNT_MAX];
+  reflist_t refList;
+  assetstate_t state;
+  assettype_t type;
+  void *data;
+} asset_t;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/asset/assetmanager.h b/src/asset/assetmanager.h
index a1cbc34..cb527ec 100644
--- a/src/asset/assetmanager.h
+++ b/src/asset/assetmanager.h
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 #include "error/error.h"
 #include <zip.h>
 #include "display/texture/texture.h"
+#include "asset.h"
+
+#define ASSET_MANAGER_ASSET_COUNT_MAX 256
 
 #if ASSET_TYPE == wad
 #else
@@ -31,6 +34,8 @@ static const char_t ASSET_MANAGER_SEARCH_PATHS[][FILENAME_MAX] = {
 typedef struct {
   int32_t nothing;
   zip_t *zip;
+  asset_t assets[ASSET_MANAGER_ASSET_COUNT_MAX];
+  uint8_t assetCount;
 } assetmanager_t;
 
 extern assetmanager_t ASSET_MANAGER;
@@ -40,6 +45,24 @@ extern assetmanager_t ASSET_MANAGER;
  */
 errorret_t assetManagerInit(void);
 
+/**
+ * Gets and requests a lock on a given asset. Locking an asset will prevent it
+ * from being unloaded until it is unlocked.
+ * 
+ * @param filename The filename of the asset to lock.
+ * @param outRef A pointer to store the locked reference ID in.
+ * @return A pointer to the locked asset, or NULL if the asset could not be
+ */
+asset_t * assetManagerLock(const char_t *filename, ref_t *outRef);
+
+/**
+ * Unlocks a previously locked asset reference.
+ * 
+ * @param asset The asset to unlock the reference from.
+ * @param ref The reference ID to unlock.
+ */
+void assetManagerUnlock(const ref_t ref);
+
 /**
  * Disposes/cleans up the asset system.
  */
diff --git a/src/asset/assetpaletteimage.h b/src/asset/assetpaletteimage.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..208bea1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/asset/assetpaletteimage.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Dominic Masters
+ * 
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "dusk.h"
+
+#define ASSET_PALETTE_IMAGE_SIZE_MAX (256*256)
+
+typedef struct {
+  uint32_t width;
+  uint32_t height;
+  uint8_t data[ASSET_PALETTE_IMAGE_SIZE_MAX];
+} assetpaletteimage_t;
\ No newline at end of file