To enlarge the sphere of virtuous harmony of the benevolent design entrusted to us by Equus; and it is most fervently to be hoped, that the conduct of every member of the order, as well as those publications, that discover the virtues which actuate them, may tend to convince all races that the grand objective of the Minutor Crystallum is to promote virtues among all races.
General Cherry Tree, Writings
Letter to the Grand Forum of the Virtuous and Accepted Minutors for the Commonwealth of Canterlot, Snow Moon 776 Equestrian Era

With the fall of Equus to the Vices, a small consortium of crystal miners banded together to preserve the culture, faith, and knowledge of the fallen empire. Originally, they had a very minor role, as Equus’ lifestyle continued and thrived in the Crystal Empire under the reign of Crystal Hope, and later Queen Amore Cristallo. However, when the Crystal Empire vanished upon the defeat of the Mad King Sombra, the Minutor Crystallum took it upon themselves to seek out old records and keep them safe.

While the Adamantem operated within the political structures of the foundling nations or directed the organization, and the Vicus kept to their archival duties, the Ipsum used the knowledge preserved to find more and learn more, training in the ways of spycraft and strategy to acquire those things valuable to the society of miners.

In the spirit of the Equusese Empire, their society included members from all races; drakes, wyverns and kirins from the east, griffins from the west, and zebrica from the southern savanas, to say nothing of the usual pony races, donkeys and mules that made up a the significant number of small nations between.

In Cloudsdale, a small cell of Ipsum had been assigned the task of infiltrating the Wonderbolts with little success. The closest any had gotten was the reserves, none making the cut for the recruits or elites. In the meantime, they kept to their usual work for the order; gathering intelligence and going on missions to gather historical artifacts…

And then they found a lead on the mother of all artifacts; the relic of the Virtue of Life itself.