The Gem clan was founded by the Elegant Lady Rarity. During the first War of Darkness Rarity rallied the ponies of Canterlot, calling to arms her fellows. Alongside her assistant Lady Pommel, many of Equestria’s wealthiest ponies threw in their lot with her. Those who answered her call gained the honor of joining her new illustrious gem clan. Lady Rarity was known as everypony’s friend, and did little fighting herself. Preferring the role of a commander and politician, as opposed to the chaos of war. Rarity, at the climax of lifelong tensions, gave slight against her old friend’s clan. The two former friends met in an Iaijutsu duel. Rarity and her comrade struck each other down. Rarity’s throat was slashed, though her old friend was relieved of their foreleg. Empress Cadenza I, horrified upon seeing the longtime companions strike each other down, decreed that they had struck together, and thus were neither right nor wrong. The matter was dropped at once, ponies rushing to the air of the fallen, providing precedence for all future duels. All thought Rarity would die of her wounds, but drawing upon unexpected reserves of strength she rose from her knees. That day she disappeared from the public eye, and Lady Pommel stepped forward to fill the gap. When she was next seen, she was nigh unrecognizable. She had taken to wearing a porcelain mask over her once legendarily beautiful face, and never again spoke in court, relying upon an aid to speak for her. Most believed her wounds to be the cause, but she would never confirm nor deny such claims. Most stark was the change to her behavior: Where once a savvy and friendly mare stood, now a withdrawn mare known for her razor wit and cold heart. Bearing little interest in politics, she did not deny Lady Pommel her place in the courts. In place of politics, Rarity began an oft times obsessive quest to hone her sword technique, with decades spent mastering the art of Iaijutsu. She would never again be proven wrong in a duel. Throughout her life, up until her disappearance during the Second Day of Darkness, over two hundred yojimbo, bodyguards for politicians, would fall to her draw. Those swordsponies of her family followed her example, and so became the self-proclaimed finest duelists in the Empire. It is said that no Courtier will find a greater deterrent in court than to have a Rare Duelist by her side.
(an idea i been playing around with for a while, expect more legends of harmony character designs to come.
