Carnelian Clout

By Hazard Time

• June 18, 2016




Age: 55

Gender: Female

Species: Other Pony (Crystal, Bat, etc.)

Appearance: <p> Carnelian is a thin, shapely, mature mare of fairly attractive appearance. Her ruby mane is always done up in an elaborate coiffure, a laurel crown of fine silver planted atop. Her piercing blue eyes study all those she meets, judging their worth to her. </p>

Cutie Mark: <p> A sparkling diamond </p>

Personality: <p> Narcissistic, vain, prideful, insecure, and shameless.<br /><br /> Sexuality: Yes </p>

Backstory: <p> Viscountess Carnelian Clout was born of House Koroundio in the Crystal Empire just over a thousand years ago. The eldest of two siblings, she was soon to develop sympathy for her sickly brother, Nepheline Necessity. Her parents remained convinced that he would not survive childhood, but the young and impressionable filly refused to give up that easy, even when she was announced as the heir.<br /><br /> The Koroundio family was different from all the other noble houses of the Crystal Empire, though none but them truly could say why. Unbeknownst to all, the house had been involved in a covenant with an archdemon for many generations, a vile eldritch abomination by the name of Neboleth, It-Who-Brings-Power. The moment she was born, Carnelian's parents offered her soul unto the beast, continuing the covenant and granting her Neboleth's silver tongue and unaging flesh as Its boon.<br /><br /> However, they were not satisfied by simply bringing their daughter into the fold. If she was to be the heir to the Koroundio name and fortune, then weakness would not be tolerated. Weakness was endemic of the other houses, and Carnelian would be the one to bring them all to heel. So began their special instruction, years upon years of psychological conditioning and abuse that would harden her heart.<br /><br /> Their efforts at indoctrination, however, were constantly stymied at every step of the way by Nepheline, who remained Carnelian's last link to her childhood innocence. Unfortunately, that would not last. Whether by fate or by her parents seeing an opportunity, the young colt did not survive the next plague to sweep the Empire. Isolated and hopeless, the heiress broke. In the preceding years, she became just as her parents had wanted: shrewd, cold, calculating, and not an ounce of empathy to spared. By Degrees, as was her house motto, the Empire would soon be theirs.<br /><br /> However, her parents had severely underestimated their daughter's resentment. While she kept up appearances that she was eager to serve her house, Carnelian could not see greatness in her future so long as her parents continued to pull her strings and nudge her about like a chess piece. Even more surprising, while It had remained content to observe and allow scenarios to play themselves out, Neboleth, Itself, sensed the potential of the would-be viscountess, and appeared before her. To Carnelian, it offered a simply deal: Become my champion, court the power brokers of the world, offer their souls upon my altar, and I shall give you the power to claim your rightful place in your household. That night, Carnelian had her crown, and Neboleth had its champion.<br /><br /> Needing an heir to continue her family name, she arranged her own matrilineal marriage to Bold Aventurine of House Ialos and had two foals by him. Proud Ametrine was the first, and she would be Carnelian's first soul that she would give unto It-Who-Brings-Power. Her second, Soft Zoisite, however, was saved by his father, who had become rightfully suspicious of his wife. From then on, Zoisite was kept under the protection of House Ialos.<br /><br /> Carnelian had since become ever more wary of her husband. A decade later, armed with the fruits of his own private investigation, he threatened to take his discoveries public if she did not agree to divorce him and allow their foals to be adopted into House Ialos. The mare was stunned, that her complacency had wedged her between a rock and a hard place. This betrayal would not be tolerated, and for the first time in many years, Carnelian called upon her dark powers and exterminated her dear husband with extreme prejudice. Twelve year-old Ametrine witnessed her father's bloody murder, but the viscountess had no care. With her husband out of the way, she was now able to give her daughter the same instruction her parents had given her. Zoisite's protective custody in the Ialos manor now showed its downside as Ametrine was isolated from anyone who might be able to help her. It was fortunate, then, that King Sombra would usurp the throne a few years later.<br /><br /> During the time that Sombra was king of the Crystal Empire, Carnelian made attempts to seduce him. She assumed that he would fall for her charms, which would give her the opening to kill him and claim the throne for her family. Unfortunately for her, she miscalculated, and her attempt was met with humiliation. For the rest of his reign, Carnelian exhibited discretion, keeping her powers to herself. She may be powerful, but she could not be sure that she was strong enough to defeat him. Instead, she bided her time, waiting ten long years before he was defeated by the royal sisters.<br /><br /> One millennia later, and she finds herself back at square one. Even more unfortunate, in the chaos following the destruction of Sombra by Cadance and Spike, her son and daughter fled the empire together, and so began a proxy war against her and her operations.<br /><br /> A setback, yes, but nothing she couldn't handle. Her daughter was headstrong, but nowhere near the political mind or magical powerhouse that she was. Corporations, secret societies, political parties, and more all fall under her power, and all it would take would be a simple motion of the hoof, and war would come to the Frozen North. For now, she contents herself with watching and waiting for her opening. By Degrees, her house will claim its throne.<br /><br /> Beware a smile on a pretty face, especially hers. </p>