Atonement

The bitter sea breeze lashed at Suldur's face as he stood on the deck of the commandeered ship, the Brute Corsair. He lowered his spyglass from looking at the horizon. A shame none of them wore metal armor, or they'd be easier to spot in the distance, but they would be beyond the horizon soon.
The salt spray stung his eyes, but Suldur's gaze remained unwavering as he studied the unconscious halfling bound to the ship's mast. This had been an unexpected opportunity. Suldur believed the little warrior was no innocent. Nishio's association with the criminals was a clear sign of their moral decay and their status as fugitives. He was stable, for now, but Suldur knew that he had to be kept on light rations, to prevent him from gathering enough strength to be a problem.
He had considered his original plan to be precise, but the henchman he sent had executed it in a different, albeit still effective manner. They knew Suldur was after the one they call Elamen, and so they guarded her closely, but there werent enough of them to guard two, and she would come for him. Nishio was bait, a lure to draw the heroes back to the city that had once been Suldur's domain. And there, theiur debt would either be settled or paid in blood.
The new recruit a tiefling, had proven themselves swiftly in Suldur's service, always performing above expectations, so he had been given command of the mission. Suldur though that, perhaps it was prophetic that he was called Atonement - it seemed the Tiefling tradition of naming their children after their valued virtues finally paid off.
In this Nishio was a mere pawn, of course, but Suldur would relish the look of despair on these crimilas faces when they returned to Timber's Bend to find the little halfling at his mercy. They would be made to confront their past misdeeds, and to face Duke Johann's wrath.
Finally, with this error corrected, Suldur's reputation would be restored. As the ship cut through the dark waters, making way for Lonemoor, Suldur allowed a twisted smirk to cross his lips. Discraced, yes, but far from defeated. This game was not nearly over, and the stakes seemed somehow to only get higher the longer they played.