Agatha is the capital of the Agathean Empire, the central polity of the world where I set my RPGs. It's a planned city constructed by the Exalted Nearchos, the first Emperor, as much a tribute to his ideals of goodness and order as a capital for his new empire.
Agatha grows on top the Elmenshard, a small rocky island a hundred paces off the coast of Matan, the imperial heartland. It is a realization of Nearchos' vision for a perfect city: nine concentric rings, raising up from the coast of the island towards the center, culminating in a circular tower, Adoné, the Tower of Beauty, atop which a multicolored flame forever burns. The circle is bisect at the third ring by a long bridge, connecting Agatha to the mainland; covered in beautiful white marble and lit by perpetual flames, the Bridge of Light beckons all welcome.
The streets of Agatha, following a circular pattern with branching ramps connecting the rings, are everywhere paved in white stone; the Agatheans pride themselves on their skill at making lamps and light-fixtures, and all but poorest streets are always illuminated by torch, lamp or magical flame.
The first ring, bordering the coast, is entirely taken up by the docks, branching out over the sea, whereby ships from parts close and distant bring merchandise to the markets of the Empire. A sixth of the docks is occupied by the arsenal of the Imperial fleet, which patrols the water against pirates and monsters; Romuan, the flagship, its wooden sides wrought in fine gold, sits always at dock in peacetime and shines near as bright as the sun at midday.
The second ring, a tier up from the coast, is where sailors, dock workers and other manual labourers live; inns, taverns and other such establishments establishments provide rest and refreshment to the many travellers that visit the city, and also hide the activities of many crime syndacates that prosper on the back of the industrious capital. Having taken over many adjacent buildings over the decades, the Raptor's Talon has grown famous across the seas as a den of where all manners of pleasure and entertainment can be bought, being closed by the city censors and re-opened again many times.
The third and fourth rings, respectively below and above the Bridge of Light, host most of the city markets and workshops; smiths, armourers, glass-blowers, artificiers, bookbinders and many others congregate in small professional districts where they ply their trade and sell their wares to buyers both domestic and foreign. The seven-towered All-Makers Guilds building, erected on the opposite side of Agatha from the Bridge, hosts the seats of the seven principal trade guilds and provides luxurious chambers for high-level mercantile negotiations.
The fifth and sixth rings are considered to be the "true Agatha" by the (somewhat snobbish) city elite. Their tranquil streets, interrupted by many fountains and small gardens, contrast markedly with the busy chaos of the levels below; the residencies of the wealthier citizens can be found here, usually sporting thin high towers and manylayered gardens. The only true park in the city, Amaristos, occupies a sixth of the sixth layer, looking at out at sea; it's rumoured to be the be place where romantic thrists and high intrigue take place, amidst the leafy branches of its many trees.
The seventh ring, known to the locals as Mercy's Bushel, marks the beginning of the government quarter; it hosts the many archives and offices of the imperial bureaucracy. Of note is the Cartographer's Building, widely believed to host the most expansive collection of maps, charts and geographical data in the world.
The eighth ring is divided in close to equal proportions among two of the great imperial institutions: the Arcaneum, the state-sanctioned academy that teaches and regulates the use of magic; and the Phylakeon, barracks and arsenal of the imperial guard, core of the imperial army and garrison of the city.
The ninth layer, a circle rather than a ring, symmetrically divided along its diameter, hosts on the one side the Imperial Palace with its golden gates and four high towers, and on the other the Agatheon, the Temple of Good, a polythestic tribute to all the gods that patronize charity, mercy, justice and peace. Atop the Agatheon rises the Adoné, its multicolored flame a living symbol of the unity of all that is sanctified and just, its geometry carefully chosen so that on the summer solstice the rising Sun aligns with the flames and shines directly over the imperial throne, whereby the Emperor is cerimonially re-crowned with the blessing of all the gods of good.