@Big-Daddy-Amin kind of has the books/theme in a pretty solid colorful summary. It's an interesting world, and the books have a lot of sex, I won't say they don't. Fifty Shades of Thrones is an amusing title too. That being said, from my observation there isn't a whole lot more TS, either kinky or non, on this game than o a WoD or WhateverElse game. Some people do that and only that, some people do some of that and some politics, some socializing, some whatever, and some people set themselves at 'rated R' and do none of the sexytimes and only the plotty times. You have choices. The first books DID have a hooker save the world because of how much she loved spankings and that is NOT how our 'saving the world' plots have gone, we figure its time to go a new way.
You don't have to worry too much about 'historical' canon because one fun (?) part about Jacqueline Carey's world is it is impossible to pinpoint when it took place. Alternate history! Fashion is its own entire thing, technology seems kind of Renaissance-y except no guns, its piecemeal. The easiest way to avoid being 'against canon' is to play someone from the target country (alternate France) because the foreign countries she wrote are sort of all over the place.
If you came by and found it cliquish...I know all games can be at times and sometimes it can be really hard to break through that. If there's another time to give it a try though, it's probably now/in the next few months. We had a spot where a -lot- of new players came in with groups of friends to play with and it seemed hard for people coming in solo to find their niche, but over time that dynamic has changed a lot. If it wasn't for you I totally get it, but I will say for sure that there's been a shift in groups and there are some gaps in 'power' that can allow for someone new to find something cool to do straightaway.
As for the foreigner thing: tension between locals and foreigners /is/ part of the current storyline but players can do with that what they will. Just fun times with Xenophobia!
To those who tried but just couldn't get into the theme, thanks for giving it a whirl! I will be the first to admit it is a 'unique' setting. We inherited this game from someone else, I am not a die-hard fan of the novels, I liked some and hated others, I certainly didn't write them, so if they aren't your thing I am the last person to take it personally.