The mines in Vrituya take up most of the country's land and most people in the town work at the mines. The crystals in the mines, however, allow some of the workers to have magical abilities from breathing in the dust (about a 1 in 5 ratio, though it's not exact). These abilities tend to relate slightly to the person, though this is also a rare occurrence. The abilities are unpredictable, and sometimes easy to spot (which isn't good for Hexes in hiding). There is one constant, however. Every ability is limited in one way or another, and it's typically not a small limit (some effects can include going into a coma, losing feeling in your left hand, etc.). The mines are owned by the prestigious Van Laere family (essentially the nobles and leaders of Vrituya), who have all grown up spending time in the mines, and almost every single one of them is a Hex (though it's not guaranteed, and tends to throw Hex Hunters off track). The Van Laeres often hire people from town (specifically younger people) so they don't have to work in the mine (mind you, it may grant magical powers, but it's also incredibly dangerous to work in any mine).