Did the Crystal Empire Feel Rushed to Anyone Else?

[Shine Runner 20]

I'm not so much talking about the episodes as I am talking about the concept overall. I have so many unanswered questions!
 

1. Are crystal ponies made of crystal, or are they perhaps made of silicates?

2. Why do they live in the arctic, of all places?!

3. Why is it called the Crystal EMPIRE if there's only one city?

4. What are the magic abilities of the crystal ponies?

5. Are they able to survive for long stretches of time away from the crystal heart?

6. Is the Crystal Empire supposed to be Atlantis, but with snow?

7. Can they eat gems like dragons do?

 

What are your theories and headcanons?

[CameoShadowness 251]

While I do believe it was rushed, so was a LOT of things from MLP like the dragons, Griffons, Changlings and so much more. Well here are some ideas I have to answer your questions. 

1. No, they have magic that influences their looks to be Crystal like. We see this in the Crystaling when all the other ponies not from there get a similar look. The Crystal ponies simply have it done so often, some effects are permanent.

2. Not the arctic. The Yaks literally live further up then they do. It's kinda like Canada in it's location.

3. One visible city. they could have easily been multiple cities that homogenized over time. They have a long unexplored history after all.

4. Most likely that of standard ponies in Equestria with the added benifit of sharing magic with each other via the Crystal Heart.

5. There is nothing to suggest they will die without it. The thing was shattered and NO ONE but the ponies that was right there knew about it. That wouldn't be the case if their lives where heavily connected to it in such a way.

6. Given what we are given, sorta yeah but it feels like a stretch. 

7. I doubt it. Nothing (from what I remember) can support this. Yeah they do have more crystal based stuff and... wait there are crystal trees and we don't see farms and such... Maybe but it will have to be very specific gems- Like fruit gems... maybe.

[Metemponychosis 1,236]

1. They are made of crystal.

2. Because they've adapted to the cold. Though there are colder places.

3. Empire could also be the land owned by a lesser lord. In the real world, typicaly a vassal to another lord or even an independent power. It's a bit of an obscure definition, though.

4. They can eat humongous quantities of ice cream. And they are good with crystals in general.

5. Yes. They've adapted to the cold.

6. No. It's a public office that materialized from nothing where Celestia put her niece. This is very common practice in Brazil.

7. No. The prefer frosted pony food.

[SharpWit 2,472]

1. I'm not sure what you mean by silicates but I'd love a clarification. I'd say they're an extra degree of earthpony, and thus hold more earthly characteristics on average, however this is likely due to extended exposure to the crystal heart along with limited diversity within the breeding population. There aren't actually any Pegasi among them and I can't recall whether or not there were any unicorns.

2. Remember how the Windigos brought about everlasting winter for the three pony tribes? Like the associates of the tribal leaders, the crystal heart produces harmony which keeps it at bay. That's not to say that the Frozen North is overrun by Windigos, but the heart has the same affect. If you can use something to make a place habitable, there's no reason not to go there. Alaska is rich in resources and we have ships and planes. There's no reason not to have some settlements, but understandably they are small.

3. Without the heart of the Empire and the crystal heart itself, perhaps other settlements were unable to support themselves and the subjects immigrated elsewhere or simply faded over the following millenium. It also started out as a ponified region of Canada, the interior of which is sparsely populated, and yet that's the second largest nation on earth by land area. Empires are in some sense more defined by their borders than those who live within them.

4. I'd say technically zero to none, but I'm open to some specialized crystal magic. Storing magical energy into crystals for various purposes, and having some Control over them such as growth. Perhaps they'd be of great use on the Pie Rock Farm. Otherwise they're simply earth ponies by another skin.

5. Absolutely, bit their crystal features may dull over time.

6. I think not given the lack of references and how there is now a seapony society? They're original but not terribly inspiring.

7. Maybe rock candy, but then again ponies can eat rocks apparently so anything goes on that I guess.

[RDDash 18,847]

I have a theory that this one city is what left from the government body known as crystal empire. To be fair the city is being missing for 1000nds years and what's left of it has been absorbed by the modern world.

[Sepul-Coloratura 756]

Short answer : Toys.

Long answer : Toooooyyyys.

[Goat-kun 2,496]

Buy Our Toys the Empire. Same as Buy Our Toys the Castle and Buy Our Toys the School. It is said that if you buy all three sets the ghosts of three Hassenfeld brothers will appear before you.

1. Silicates

2. Harmony is at fault

3. Harmony is at fault

4. Being a battery

5. Yes, but actually no

6. It's Isengard but more girly

7. They graze only on the softest of minerals

[Splashee 28,537]

The playset was beautiful and very plastic! But the castle in the center of the entire kingdom was odd, since Twilight went off from that location, just to get to another castle that somehow was the same castle, to fight King Sombra