Darian Dermu

The current headmaster Darian Dermu remembers the academy from his days as a youth, and since his appointing to the headmaster position Dermu has worked to ensure the academy is prepared for the future while still retaining the character of its former years. Below is an excerpt from Darian's autobiography, as he recounts his first experience at Lucinda Hartstrong's Academy for the Productive Arts.

"Many humanoids gawk at the idea of being near a century in age and yet still considered a child by your family and peers. Such is the way of elven culture, but let me make it clear that even at such an age I had barely the experience with the real world that any human or dwarf would have had before leaving the metaphorical nest. At 91 my parents had insisted that I pack my meagre possessions and begin my education as a Hartist. We had hoped at the time that after a mere few years of education I would be able to return to the family and provide some new innovation to our small pottery studio, yet I was not expecting to love the experience as much as I have thus far. It is my passion for this craft, and my love for this institution that sees to my staying here for as long as I would be allowed."

Unlike many modern institutions, at this academy there is no dictated limit to the maximum length of a headmaster's term, and as such, Headmaster Dermu's continued presence at the academy has provided a historically consistent and culture-driven curriculum and atmosphere unseen elsewhere. Some would say that Dermu's stoic, cultural rigidness may appear stubborn and old-fashioned, nevertheless, one cannot deny the facts: Hartists are the very best at their craft.

To this day, Headmaster Dermu continues to perfect his skill as a potter.