I don't know what the tech areas look like, but the throne room is opulent. When you enter through the massive double inlaid doors, the first thing you see is the Eagle Throne, guod's enormous seat. It's solid gold, must weigh tons, and cast in the shape of a huge eagle, it's wings spread but wrapped somewhat forward as if protecting guod while he's seated on it. The eagle has his head turned to the side, and his one visible eye is the largest star sapphire ever found. It's eerie, you could swear the thing is really looking at you.
The central corridor to the dais upon which visitors are compelled to sit, if they're allowed to sit, runs between two rows of massive marble columns. When you reach the audience dock, where the dais is, you realize that guod's Eagle Throne is at least six feet above you, and you are forced to crane your neck and look up to see him as he scowls down on you.
The walls are covered in royal blue velvet with ornately carved, gold overlaid half columns on the wall every eight feet. There are dozens of masterpiece artworks on the walls, and no flash photography is allowed in the throne room. Off to each side of the throne are chairs, huge and ornate, but not even beginning to approach the splendor of the Eagle Throne. One is reserved for guod's consilieri, a beast of a lawyer who handles only SimHQ business, no other practice. He's dressed in Egyptian high priest robes.
The other is reserved for Elvis. Yes, you read that right, Elvis. He is guod's other advisor and close friend and he's very much alive. He doesn't usually say much, except to interject with, "Takin' care of business, baby!" when he particularly approves of something guod has said, or sometimes, "TCB Big G!".
Standing outboard of the marble columns, along the velvet-lined walls, is the SimHQ palace guard. These men have been hand selected from amongst the world's most elite military personnel, and are dressed in the garb of the Roman Praetorian Guard. Every fifth man has a Rottweiler on a lead, along with his spear, and each carries a Roman short sword. Attached to the inside of their shields is an armory of modern weaponry, every weapon suppressed. But you won't see the modern weapons unless there's trouble in the throne room. No one has been that foolish yet.
Between the entry and the visitor's dais is a trap door in the floor. You won't see it, but it's there. If guod hits a button under the armrest of the Eagle Throne, it opens abruptly, and anyone who has displeased him will find themselves falling about fifty feet, into a pit of savage crocodiles. When you turn to leave, you had better not have displeased him or you're in for a nasty surprise!
Guod himself is attired in full Caesarean imperial garb. As you approach the visitor's dock below him, you're accompanied by one of the moderators, who whispers in your ear as you approach the throne, saying, "Remember, thou art mortal! Remember thou art mortal!" over and over again as a well advised reminder that getting cheeky with guod is a very bad idea.
Oh, and there are two naked supermodels waving enormous palm fronds continually to keep guod cool and comfortable on either side and slightly forward of the throne, just in front of the eagle's protective wings. They're drawn from a pool that resides in the harem and each girl serves a two hour shift.
And there are various others present, the guys who blow the big, long trumpets, the guy who reads the decrees, the vestal virgins, the wine porter, and anyone else necessary for day-to-day operation of the throne room.
All-in-all, it's damned impressive. I haven't been there since I was summoned the last time I got banned, but that's the way the place looked when I was there.
Cheers!
Rick...
