I think with time and experience, you'll find that that's rarely the case. D&D isn't the most complicated RPG in existence, but it's right up there. There are a number of RPGs that you can teach in under fifteen minutes, including character generation, and many of those are cheap or free.
What exactly did you expect it to say? "This game sucks for genre X. Put this book down and go buy a different game." You can drive a nail with a socket wrench, but it's not the best tool for the job. You can play any concept with any RPG, too, it all depends on how much of the RAW you're willing to throw out entirely, rewrite, or make up from scratch. That doesn't mean all RPGs are suited to all concepts.Not to mention it was in the DM guide where I first saw the concept of a intrigue game with D&D mentioned.
So some Internet stories that may or may not have happened, or happened the way they were recounted.For the last question...more than one. That part of the idea I got from reading a Reddit D&D thread on subverting game tropes, and there were at least three people who told a story about having this pulled and really liking it. Then there was someone who replied on this very thread, citing the adventure as one of their favorites.
Come on, man. It's the Internet. How many real, live people you've talked to in person have thumbed-up this idea?
The most likely result of that is you'll be the only one playing it. Make a game that your players would love to play, and you'll get to play it.I'm also out to make a game I MYSELF would love playing.