"What was so important that you felt you needed to live a second lifetime?"

Palamedes operates on logic, but he did mention love in his explanation of who he is. Perhaps that was what drove him to this 'contigency', or perhaps he simply just felt he didn't have enough time to accomplish his life goals. He's young, if he has already died and had to attempt a second life, there had to be a reason. Necromancy. Why do mortals fear Death so much even as they desire to understand it?