After reading through this thread again, I don't think anyone has touched on what I feel is one of the most severe problems that we face in BattleMaster. Everyone is focusing on trivialities: sexual freedoms, visiting whores, going to "pubs", not being mean enough (or too mean) to advies, etc.
What I feel is what is most wrong, is the rampant disrespect, incivility, and insulting attitude among the nobility. Too many players think that the proper way to respond to something you don't agree with is to fling insults and vitriol. It has become pretty commonplace for nobles to insult their lords, question the competence of councilors, and other such blatantly disrespectful and insulting behavior.
I'm not saying that everyone should shut up and follow orders. Far from it. That would be about the most boring thing I can think of. But too many people think that if your lord says something you don't agree with in a council, the proper thing to say is: "That's stupid." Or, when the leader of the religion declares a holy crusade, for ten members of the religion to stand up and try to shout him down because "All the elders a bunch of corrupt politicians and liars, spouting propaganda that makes us laughingstock of our enemies, who are all really honest, upstanding fellows." A lot of this stuff is not necessarily vulgar, and reportable as vulgarity, but disrespectful and insulting in ways and situations that just shouldn't happen.
I actually stepped down from the leadership of Sanguis Astroism, a position I greatly desired, because I couldn't handle all the abuse that was being tossed back and forth. Not just in my direction, but back and forth between supposed realm-mates and allies. The screaming and frothing at the mouth was more than I could take.
Whatever happened to "My, Lord, are you sure that's the wisest course? Surely the enemy won't be fooled by that misdirect." or "Marshal, if those are your orders, we'll do it, but I think there may be a better plan."
I know that fantasy/fiction books aren't the most reliable source of historical material, but you generally don't see nobles in fantasy literature act like complete asses, like many players seem to think is perfectly acceptable.
IMHO, stuff like this sours people on the game much more than some random noble claiming that some dirty commoner is his long-lost fourth-cousin-twice-removed from a forgotten branch of the family. I don't remember things being this bad back when I joined in early 2006. Or maybe this is just me "remembering the good old days through rose-colored glasses".