Oh, that looks painful, so sorry, so sorry. No worries, we don't need any fancy magical hocus pocus. Here, I have a salve for that!
An Apothecary is the name for the profession of creating potions and salves as well as other consumables to heal, cure or enhance people, as well as the name for the place where an apothecary produces and sells his products. The Apothecary usually works without using magic, instead using the intrinsic magical properties as well as other medicinal atributes of plants to create its medicines.
Where to find a Salver
Thoses shops of these mossmixers look pretty, with all those bottles in the window. But it always smells weird, don't you think?
Both the person as well as the store where they sell their potions are called apothecary.
It is common to find at least one apothecary in any larger village or smaller town.
Many apothecaries are located in the center areas of a settlement or of their respective district.
At such a shop you have a grand apothecary who owns the shop personally.
Depending on the size of the shop, there will more apothecaries be employed.
Having a license to open such a store is granted by the regional official, the mayor of the settlement or the region's council.
Do you hear the bells on the salver's cart? Quick, go and fetch Ma, we really could use something for our Bessie's pains and we cannot wait another month.
More rural regions often are not able to support the more expensive apothecary.
These are areas are usually supplied by a wandering healer, who also has learned the trade.
A wandering apothecary would officially need a license, but very few do.
They usually supply a set route of villages and hamlets, building a large amount of trust with the local population.
Tasks and Responsibilities
An apothecary creates salves and potions to sell them as remedies against multiple afflicitons and conditions.
Since many of the products are perishable or lose their intended effects after a few weeks, they often produce the slave and potion on demand.
An apothecary learns in detail, how to obtain, prepare and store ingredients in an optimal way and how to reliably produce medicine with the desired effect.
This knowledge is not only restricted on human patients, but often includes treatment of animals as well.
Dear colleagues, we all know that the bark of a Glimmerwood tree cures muscle pain, when used pulverized and mixed with nut-oil.
But have you ever tried the use of Walkust Whale Oil?
In my experiments, the effect was affected in interesting ways.
They need to have the knowledge to create new potions or salves with reduced, enhanced or combined effects depending on the targeted condition and person being afflicted.
Additionally, they should provide guidance and recommendations on therapy to their customers.
Take this potion, dropped on a piece of bread every evening for at least two weeks.
No more then three drops. Try not to inhale the aether of these drops, or you will certainly be striken with nausea.
This should help with your swollen hand.
While they usually demand payment for their services, many apothecaries, especially in rural areas, strike deals with the locals to be provided with ingredients in exchange for some general medicine.
This is especially true for the Veterinary Apothecary who often tends to the livestock of ranchers and herdsmen in the area.
By royal decree in the name of the regent, your services are hereby required for the eradication of the Gamian Greenspot Plague in the village of Zattun.
Services will be compensated by weekly salary and you are hereby authorized to source any materials you need.
Costs of materials will be compensated with three parts of ten of the investment.
Any certified apothecary can be drafted in cases of emergency or in cases of war by royal decree.
This usually encompasses produces specific medicine to combat a spreading desease or providing supplies for a military sortie.
Larger military companies have their own Military Apothecary on payroll to ensure a steady supply of medical components.
Learning the trade
Being able to hold the official, royally certified title would require at least three years of study in one of the royal academies or other certified places, like the
Botanical Academy to Heymwasser or in rare cases the
Leafid Herbal Gardens.
Being able to enter any academy requires a renown patron recommending you to the institution directly.
Based on that recommendation, the aspiring student would be judged by a small council.
Depening on the status of the patron, this review would often only be a fromality.
Another option would of course have been to provide a generous monetary gift to the academy.
Most in the trade have learned from a master, however, and never were royally certified.
The royal certification comes with a plaque that some apothecaries place proudly in their windows.
Faking a license is strictly forbidden and can be punished by hefty fines and incarceration.
In the larger cities a Royal Apothecary Inspector would usually check up on other apothecaries and inspecting ther work.
Being a learned apothecary themselves, they are usually able to recognize either an untrained impostor or determine a lack of quality and standards in the products.
General Reputation and Prejudices
Alchemists as healers and provider of medicine are generally well liked in the population.
However, in a world where casual use of magic is quite common, their refusal to use magic in the process of creating potions is viewed as odd, in the very least.
Similarily, their need to collect and experiment with all kinds of unusual ingredients has created very specific images of the typical apothecary in the population.
It is widely believed, that an apothecary is unable to use magic.
An apothecary is just a failed alchemist, I tell you. Those types certainly almost blew themselves up when trying proper alchemy before and then never had the guts to use magic properly again.— Remark by an alchemist
Don't throw that away. Sell it to the local Apothecary. — Popular saying in frugal households
I know it helps. But i don't want to know what weird things he put into that salve.— An injured Adventurer
Have you ever seen a young alchemist, though?
An Apothecary always has the right potion for the right situation. And if not, he will immediately make one.— Common wisdom
An apothecary can do stuff with simple dirt, leaves, or bugs that I cannot believe are done without any magic.— A secptical Alchemist
I love your apothecaries, they're very cool! <3 I like the idea of itinerant apothecaries or apothecaries getting drafted by the government! All your quotes are great for anchoring the articles in your world and showing what people really think about them. Prejudice against their non-magic use is interesting :p I also noted that they seem to be really trusted by people, and the certification help explaining that, but I was wondering if there is some regulation of new remedies too or if the apothecaries are free to experiment? When thinking about industrial revolution era, my thoughts always go with outright quacks or at least people who make and sel things that don't work or can be harmful. Does the certification prevent that in your world?
That is an interesting idea! I would say the certification does prevent SOME reckless behavior, but I would guess they are very prone to experimenting without properly weighing all the consequences.