Gemstone Ponies in the Trioverse

Gemstone Ponies

I set of pony races heavily in tune and influenced by magic. Before the founding of Equestria, these ponies called the most powerful nation in the world their home. The Crystal Empire.

Types:

Gemstone Ponies come in three varieties, Crystal Ponies, the most common variety, followed by Sparkle-Eyed ponies, and Gem-Shapers.

Crystal Ponies: Earth Ponies with a shimmering, enchanted coat of fur. A Crystal pony's emotions heavily influence their form, and their emotions can be easily swayed by magic. These ponies have a resonating factor, transferring good or poor emotions to each other through proximity. It's said that when all crystal ponies in the empire are in emotional sync, their emotions spread out into the surround lands.

Sparkle-Eyed Ponies: Pegasi that tend to the skies of the Crystal Empire, these ponies don't share the resonating effect of their Crystal Pony cousins, but they can see and influce their emotions. They're named for their gemstone like eyes, and besides those, resemble typical pegasi. Sparkle-Eyes that don't tend to the weather are almost always guardians and warriors of the empire, and it's said that some have special vision, able to see things other ponies and creatures can't. These pegasi are less common from their earth pony relatives, making up only five percent of the empire's population.

Gem-Shaper: Every generation, one or two of this unicorn-variety crystal pony are born in the empire. Their magic heavily resonates with normal Crystal Ponies, as well as various gemstones found across the world. Their rarity typically places them in a position of authority early in their lives, protected and loved by the other ponies of the empire.

Society:

Love the king. Love each other. Spread that happiness forth. This was the creed of the Crystal Empire, which it shared for many, many years. Their creed gave aid and prosperity to the surrounding nations of Yakyakistan and the Griffin Allegiance.

The prosperity they offered was so grand, that their ally nations fell into decline when the Crystal Empire disappeared almost one thousand years ago...

Diet / Lifespan:

They live, eat and prosper in the same fashion as normal ponies. Despite common belief among misguided scholars, Gemstone ponies do not eat rocks. Their fur and features are soft like any other pony, simply having a more mystical, and envious beauty to it.

Geography:

The heart of the Crystal Empire is settled just beneath the northern mountains. The lands around their core city are lush with life and warmth. Warmth granted by their resonance. (aka love and all that mushy stuff)

Relations:

Their distance in the north kept them separate from their pony cousins in the south. They are were on very good terms with the yaks and griffins, a fact which both races still remember to this day.

History(as described by Cadance):

“If you want the nitty-gritty details, you're better off asking Twilight or Sunset. Or Luna and Celestia for that matter...”

“..!”

“I- I mean, thank you for coming to me for this! I've tried to learn what I could with the time Luna's given me.”

“So right, their history! Shortly after the founding of Equestria, a great calamity fell upon the Crystal Empire, tainting their resonance with hatred and malice. Their king, believing Equestria to be the source of the calamity, set his eyes upon our budding nation.”

“Luna and Celestia tried to reason with him, but it didn't work. There was a fight, and it ended with this king making the entire nation to disappear...”

“And pretty soon, the Crystal Empire will return. Luna's sure of it...