diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 08c53ac..23c0dc6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ tracy_build:
 	meson compile -j 10 -C builddir
 
 test: asset_build build
-	./builddir/runtests "[map-sprite]"
+	./builddir/runtests "[color-palette]"
 
 run: build test
 ifeq '$(OS)' 'Windows_NT'
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ clean:
 	meson compile --clean -C builddir
 
 debug_test: build
-	gdb --nx -x .gdbinit --ex run --args builddir/runtests -e "[map-sprite]"
+	gdb --nx -x .gdbinit --ex run --args builddir/runtests -e "[color-palette]"
 
 win_installer:
 	powershell 'start "C:\Program Files (x86)\solicus\InstallForge\bin\ifbuilderenvx86.exe" scripts\win_installer.ifp'
diff --git a/assets/palette.json b/assets/palette.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ae68f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/palette.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "gui/line": {
+    "light": [200,200,200],
+    "mid": [100,100,100],
+    "dark": [10,10,10]
+  },
+
+  "gui/text": {
+    "light": [200,200,200],
+    "mid": [100,100,100],
+    "dark": [10,10,10]
+  },
+
+  "gui/accent": {
+    "light": [200,200,200],
+    "mid": [100,100,100],
+    "dark": [10,10,10]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 40915a8..0a2221c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ sources = [
   'autowalker.cpp',
   'backend.cpp',
   'battle.cpp',
+  'palette.cpp',
   'combat.cpp',
   'components.cpp',
   'config.cpp',
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/animation.cpp',
   'tests/base.cpp',
   'tests/battle.cpp',
+  'tests/palette.cpp',
   'tests/components.cpp',
   'tests/config.cpp',
   'tests/dbc.cpp',
diff --git a/palette.cpp b/palette.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63c0c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/palette.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#include <fmt/core.h>
+#include "palette.hpp"
+#include "config.hpp"
+#include "dbc.hpp"
+
+namespace palette {
+  using std::string;
+  using nlohmann::json;
+
+  struct PaletteMgr {
+    std::unordered_map<string, sf::Color> palettes;
+  };
+
+  static PaletteMgr COLOR;
+
+  void init(const string &json_file) {
+    Config config(json_file);
+    json& colors = config.json();
+
+    for(auto [key, value_specs] : colors.items()) {
+      const string& base_key = key;
+
+      for(auto [value, rgba] : value_specs.items()) {
+        auto color_path = base_key + ":" + value;
+        dbc::check(!COLOR.palettes.contains(color_path),
+            fmt::format("PALLETES already has a color path {}", color_path));
+
+        uint8_t alpha = rgba.size() == 3 ? 255 : (uint8_t)rgba[3];
+
+        sf::Color color{rgba[0], rgba[1], rgba[2], alpha};
+
+        COLOR.palettes.try_emplace(color_path, color);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  sf::Color get(const string& key) {
+    return COLOR.palettes.at(key);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/palette.hpp b/palette.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad4a39a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/palette.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#include <string>
+#include <SFML/Graphics/Color.hpp>
+
+namespace palette {
+  using std::string;
+
+  void init(const std::string &config="assets/palette.json");
+
+  sf::Color get(const string &key);
+}
diff --git a/tests/palette.cpp b/tests/palette.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3d2bbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/palette.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
+#include <fmt/core.h>
+#include <string>
+#include "palette.hpp"
+
+using namespace fmt;
+
+TEST_CASE("color palette test", "[color-palette]") {
+  palette::init();
+  sf::Color expect{10, 10, 10, 255};
+
+  auto gui_text = palette::get("gui/text:dark");
+  REQUIRE(gui_text == expect);
+
+  gui_text = palette::get("gui/text:mid");
+  REQUIRE(gui_text != expect);
+
+  expect = {100, 100, 100, 255};
+  REQUIRE(gui_text == expect);
+}