Alchemy

"If there ever were some god or magic to be found in this world, it would be within the confines of Alchemy." - Master Brewer Caleo, of the Flamelian League

Alchemy is the combination of ingredients altered in some fashion to create a draught to contain a particular, seemingly supernatural effect. In the world of Askobar, magic is non-existent and as such Alchemy has taken a few of its roles into its domain. One example of this can be found in healing, where the churches role of being a hospital has been supplanted by the alchemist's shop, where most people have to rely more on wealth to be in good health.
The process of creating something through alchemy is divided into two steps - Harvesting and Brewing. During harvesting, ingredients are collected in the proper amount for the brewing process. while harvesting, it may also be necessary to fulfill other requirements. These can range from when they are harvested, such as the umbran poison requiring the petals of a sunflower at midnight, or with the situation it is harvested in, such as the invisibility potion requiring the hair of a rat in hiding. The next step, brewing, involves mixing them which, for all the mystical elements of alchemy, is surprisingly similar to baking. The main difference is the use of distillation, a process where you boil certain ingredients to extract their essences for further use.
When it comes to what alchemy can do, there are a few general themes that pervade the lot. One such theme is the health potions, which aid in the healing process of certain ailments. Another such one is enhancement, where certain attributes temporarily rise beyond their normal capacity. There is also poisons, which dedicate themselves to harming those who come into contact with it.
With such a pervasive technology, there are countless groups who have aligned themselves with alchemy in one form or another, but two stand above the rest. The first is the Flamelian League, an organization dedicated to standardizing the practices and spreading them further, as well as researching new recipes. The second is the Religion surrounding the Twin Gods Alchos and Meyru, who in worship of their gods spread alchemy and its secrets to those who follow them.