Philomena

Philomena was a frigate-class airship operated by the Fields Trading and Supply Company of Misericordiae. She was involved in the Merchant Rebellion under the command of Augustus Fields and the namesake of the Philomena Uprising under the command of Francis Lightlas.

Description
Philomena is a three-enveloped freighter of the type commonly used in shipping heavy goods. She is constructed primarily of Misericordiae cedar, with an ornately carved figurehead. She is lightly armed, fast, and relatively agile for a ship of her age. At maximum capacity, she can support a crew of twenty.

Service History
Philomena was constructed by Sparko & Hodge Shipwrights of Misericordiae in the 780. Founded by Jenn Sparko and Heironymus Hodge, the company produced some of the finest freighters and skiffs that came from Misericordiae in the late 700s. Sparko was a Marauder, the son of a prominent Marauder shipwright, and the primary machinist who designed the vessels. Hodge was the businessman, known for his ability to sell a fine piece of airfaring technology, whether the buyer knew he wanted it or not.

Jenn Sparko, in addition to being an exceptional machinist, also commanded a team of artists that added personal touches to each vessel. In the case of Philomena, the main deck was furnished with ornately carved cedar gunwales, the cartorium was outfitted with stained glass depicting the moonlit hills of Misericordiae, and the figurehead depicted "The Lady of the Stars", the figure of a woman crowned with stars, the dome of the sky under her feet. Correspondingly, her original name was Lady of the Stars, but when she was sold to her first owner, The Ivory City Trading Company, the company's owner changed the name to Philomena, apparently naming her after one of his daughters.

From 780 to 814, Philomena ran a regular route for the Ivory City Trading Company and two subsequent owners. Finally, in 814, following the closing of her most recent owner, she was put up for auction. She was bought by a down-on-his-luck young airman named Augustus Fields. Over the next few years, while working as a freelance shipmaster, Fields reoutfitted and modified Philomena many times. He added different types of armament, rerigged her controls, and rebuilt her control surfaces.

Misericordiae Merchants' Rebellion
In Shrovetide of 836, the Imperium ordered a blockade of the Misericordiae port. The resulting economic breakdown put extreme stress on the city. Augustus Fields took the lead in organizing a group to break the blockade, hoping that widespread opposition would convince the Imperium of the foolishness of such a venture. The Merchants Rebellion was a colossal failure, resulting in the death of Augustus Fields and many others. Philomena was severely damaged in the assault, impounded by the Imperium, de-outfitted, and left in a cradle under the Old Concourse in Misericordiae. There she remained for over four years.

Francis Lightlas
In 839, former Fields Trading & Supply crewmember Francis Lightlas discovered that Philomena's terms of impoundment had expired. With a contract in hand, he set out to resurrect Philomena and return her to the sky.