Playing with Design

So I'm working on an adventure in the Cortex system. Players are investigators in the FullMetal Alchemist world, taking place completely apart from the events in the show. The thing I'm coming to terms with is only one or two players will actually be able to functionally use alchemy. There are only about eight or ten people in the show who use alchemy, and most are in the military.

The design revolves around an apprenticeship model. Alchemy is a trained science, and to learn it, a character would have to study under a teacher for many years. This leaves the world with a divide, there's the general population who do not have access to the art, there are the elite who use and teach alchemy to those who they deem worthy. For the most part, any normal human can use alchemy, but they have to be trained to understand base elements, how these things are taken apart and put back together.

The art of alchemy is considered a righteous art. Career alchemists have many different professions, but its generally a philanthropic position. Sects and Secret Socioties have formed to order alchemists, of these include the military.

State Alchemists
The hands of Ishbala
Free Masons
Iluminati

The time period is the 1930's, after the events of the series. Roy Mustang is currently in power, the Fullmetal Alchemist has left on his adventure with Alphonse. Information is becoming more free to the public, as such normal people have access to technologies that were not available durring the series.