though coe aela was squat and square , disguising its ugliness and decay through lavish furnishings , grandiose celebrations , and displays of pride -- much like lord fobata himself in his decadence -- coe wina appeared to be both exposed to the elements , like a bone left out for dogs and other wild animals to strip clean of its meat , and bristling with defenses against these elements , such as the guards sent out on patrol and the hillside barricades .