I would think if your group had Cippiano write a formal letter of introduction it may help the party get along better with that character.
If they were planning this ahead of time maybe, though the way the way this situation comes up, I'm not sure if they really would have time to get a response.
Anyway, in the actual game they didn't really think much of the possible conflict with Cippiano, just some jokes after the fight was over about how this group didn't seem as well dressed as the people back in Risur and one person suggesting that they send word to Cippiano that there might be an opening in Nalaam now if he wants to try and expand his influence.
Since my attempt to keep an updated recap of the campaign is falling horribly behind, I figure I'll at least cover this session now. After Damata opened up about what his problems were, the group convinced him he needed to come clean with his family before they helped. They also suggested trying to find some people in Risur to actually follow through with building the rail line that he was conned into thinking he was helping with. I thought the group had a good point in thinking that this group of the Family would be interested in getting their money somehow, even if it was later, and potentially having an in with a new transportation line for smuggling would be seen as worth a longer wait before killing Damata. The main objection would be who this unknown contact would be. I figured I'd see how persuasive they actually were when meeting Sly, and if they needed prompting I'd remind the player with the technologist theme that Benedict Pemberton had been interested in his work when they met at the Ancients exhibition in Digging for Lies and suggested some kind of collaboration.
But I think they were feeling a bit blood thirsty after having a heavy social interaction game so far that night, and I think I primed them for combat a bit by setting up a room using dungeon tiles before the session started so I wouldn't have to pause when fighting started. So as soon as Sly asked who these strangers were, the swordmage with a farbond blade threw his sword, which I ruled would give them a surprise round. To make the fight a bit tougher I had statted up Azon as a brute, with a power to create walls from the ground. Which was probably needed, since the fight still went real fast. The group focused fire on Sly initially, except for the ranger who was using twin strike to try and take out multiple minions each round. With that much focus on Sly, and his Disappear in the Crowd power didn't end up helping him ever, it didn't take too long to drop him. When the last minion ended up being one that had rushed up to Damata, when his turn came around he got to act, I narrated the last kill to be Damata getting a bit of revenge directly.
