Apothecaries

Whether they learned their art through academic study at a college or by hard-won mastery of an inherited system of folklore, apothecaries are able to harvest various plants and combine them in such a way as to create potions with magical effects. The living environment is affected by the natural rhthms of the world's Arcanosphere, and the flora in Alwaus naturally absorbs and stores these energies within their structure.
The apothecary’s art is somewhat similar to that of those who make mundane poisons or tonics. However, unlike poisoners, apothecaries do not simply make use of natural properties of the plants they harvest; rather, they balance the mundane but magical components of plants as they concoct their recipes. Selecting and measuring out botanical ingredients in exact quantities, they engage in complex processes of cooking and alchemical extraction. The end result is the production of potions that have an effect similar to a spell when they are imbibed, though they can only directly affect the imbiber.
Talented apothecaries learn additional alchemical practices as well, such as the ability to produce vials of liquids that emit thick smoke or poisonous gas when mixed and exposed to air. Such alchemical tricks are more associatedwith apothecaries who learned their craft at a university; elixirs are more typical of those who learn their craft as an apprentice to a rural folk apothecary, though there is a great deal of overlap between the two approaches.
Elixirs are best taken when they have been freshly prepared. In Alwaus, this means the most effective elixirs are available between the spring and autumn equinoxes, when diverse and abundant plant life is available forforaging. During the winter months, elixirs can still be made from dried or pickled ingredients, though they do not work as effectively and will often be more difficult and expensive to procure. 
unfortunatelynvolves long hours bent over cauldrons and alembics in order to produce spells that are less powerful than those produced by arcana. More enlightened arcanist, however, have some respect for the craft of potion making, noting that it is a relatively low-risk form of working magic with proven medical purposes.