Ventus O.P. Shang
Upstairs Parlor
Manerii Solis Orientis
Edinburgh



To whom it may concern,

I am currently in the market for a few rather rare dark objects. I have heard of the deeds your clan has done, and am rather convinced that you, of all people, could assist me. The objects in question are five Hands of Glory. Do not ask what they are for, I will not tell you.

I am willing to pay a large sum for these objects upon completion of their delivery. If you accept please respond post-haste, and we shall negotiate a more concrete price.

There was the spew of cognac as Ainbheartach O'Doherty, elderly patriarch of the Irish loan shark clan, read the post from an armchair. "The cheeky bugger!" he croaked, spilling more cognac. "Five Hands of Glory?! If he wants business he will have to pay."

"Elf! Dingpot!" Ainbheartach shouted. "Confounded elf, spends too much time with the grandson..."

"Yes, Master Ainbheartach?" squeaked a tiny figure under a well beaten cooking pot, entering the room.

"Write me a letter," Ainbheartach growled, tossing the lid of the cognac decanter at Dingy's head with a smash as glass met metal. "Take this down, to some bloody Ventus O.P. Shang..."

Dingy hopped onto a writing desk. He selected parchment and quill then dictated the following letter, which has hand delivered by the elf to Shang's desk when the owner was not looking.

From the Desk of Ainbheartach O'Doherty
Doherty Manor
Donegal County, Ireland

To Ventus O.P. Shang
Upstairs Parlor
Manerii Solis Orientis
Edinburgh

Dear Mr. Shang,

You seem to have quite the nerve to ask such of the O'Doherty clan without previous introduction or correspondence. However we shall agree to your venture of securing five Hands of Glory. Your are correct in assuming that the O'Doherty fortune is vast enough to accommodate such a transaction. The going rate for a Hand of Glory is 20,000 Galleons, although the commission of a new Hand of Glory is 30,000 Galleons and may take two lunar cycles to create.

We shall begin the acquisition of all Hands of Glory available on the market. If we do not find five in total, we shall commission for your ownership new Hands of Glory as needed. I am certain of one currently available in Knockturn Alley.

The going rate of this transaction, then, will be anywhere from 100,000 Galleons to 140,000 Galleons, plus interest. Payment will be in the form of monthly transactions, determined once the quality of the Hands of Glory have been determined. An initial down payment of 15,000 Galleons will be required before we send you the first Hand of Glory.

Good Day,

Ainbheartach O'Doherty

DB: DtHE

Ventus raised and eyebrow upon reading the price. 140,000 galleons was a lot to ask for a single transaction. He highly doubted Jordan would approve. Of course, she also didn't need to know about it. Ven pulled a desk drawer open, and took out a large ledger that contained complete a transaction history, and current balance of his Gringotts account.

He quickly flipped to the last recorded balance and smiled. He still had a good 50 million. Ventus was always amazed at the amount of money his father had managed to acquire through his business. Of course, that business was still running smoothly in China, and Ventus, though unemployed, still owned it, and obtained profit from time to time.

To Ainbheartach O'Doherty
Doherty Manor
Donegal County, Ireland

A Response,

I will gladly pay you 175,000 galleons, for fulfillment of my request. Consider the extra amount payment for asking this of you unexpected, and without proper introduction. I will see to it that the down payment of 15,000 will be transferred to you account at Gringotts.

I bid you a good day, and I hope to do business with you in the future.

Ventus O.P. Shang

Two figures always lingered at the Doherty dinning hall after breakfast: Ainbheartach, sucking down rum and prune juice; and his third born son Torna, a gluttonus man at his sixth helping of sausages with caviar omlettes.

A spew of drink from Ainbheartach as he read the post. "Salazar's shiny pate! He agrees to a total price of &175,000 and already has the down payment in motion."

Torna spoke through a mouth of food. "I thought it would cost 'im &140,000?"

Ainbheartach reached for the bottle of rum. "Plus interest, though it seems he wishes to forgo that altogether. Tell your brother to stop in at Gringotts when he's out today to confirm the transfer."

"Dingpot!" Ainbheartach roared.

Dingy appeared from the kitchen. "Yes, master Ainbheartach. Does master wish for more drink?"

"Take this down, another letter," Ainbheartach snapped his fingers impatiently. What the drunk codger and his dim son failed to notice was how quickly Ventus had agreed to pay more than the negogiated amount, each too stupored in their indulgences. This was not a man seeking capital for increasing business. This was the exchange of pocket money between two rich individuals.

From the Desk of Ainbheartach O'Doherty
Doherty Manor
Donegal County, Ireland

To Ventus O.P. Shang
Upstairs Parlor
Manerii Solis Orientis
Edinburgh

Dear Mr. Shang

We agree to your generosity towards the O'Doherty family in light of your rude introduction and business request. The first Hand of Glory will be purchased today and delivered to you once the down payment has been verified.

Our sources do not indicate any other Hands of Glory available for purchase. As agreed, the remaining four shall be commissioned for you although this will take time as given to the specific requirements of creating this artifact. We shall inform you when the Hands of Glory have been commissioned. You can expect them to be delivered after two lunar cycles and confirmation of the full payment of 175,000 Galleons.

Good Day,

Ainbheartach O'Doherty

DB: DtHE

It was nearly twilight and Ventus was lounging with Jordan in the upstairs parlor. He held her close, still smiling from the news she had brought him a few hours earlier. She was pregnant. It was about this moment that a large black owl flew through the window and dropped a large parcel onto the coffee table. It hopped over to Ventus and held out the letter in its beak.

Ventus sighed and let go of Jordan, taking the letter quickly from the owl. He figured he knew who it was from, he just wasn't expecting a today, as it was growing so late. He quickly read the letter and laughed. "One moment, love," he said softly, standing and walking towards the desk. He quickly pulled out a pen and parchment and began his reply.

Ventus O.P. Shang
Upstairs Parlor
Manerii Solis Orientis
Edinburgh

To Ainbheartach O'Doherty
Doherty Manor
Donegal County, Ireland

A Response,

I thank you for your quick delivery of the only current Hand on the market, and I assure you that I will wait patiently for the rest. Simply inform me when you have the other 4 acquired, and I will transfer the full payment to your accounts.

Good Evening,
Ventus O.P. Shang

Ventus folded and sealed the letter, then simply handed it to the bird who flew off. He sat back down next to Jordan and pulled her close.