Today, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the history that inspired the wardrobe for a formidable group of female storytellers in A Chorale of Beating Hearts, the second book in the Songs of Aryam YA fantasy series. The Runtellum is a highly skilled, lethal group of female griots committed to extracting, spreading, and protecting the truth at all costs. Working independently of the Songmaster, the highest-ranking official of the Storyguard, the Runtellum engage in acts of infiltration, interrogation, and, when necessary, assassination.
How can you spot a sister of the Runtellum? Look for her crown.
When not carrying out an act of espionage, each sister of the Runtellum dons a wide-brimmed, ornate hat that rivals the most flamboyant of birds and conceals her face. One can observe a sister strutting proudly through town, chin held high, as awed citizens scramble to get out of her way.
I derived the name “Runtellum” from the Black slang phrase “run and tell that,” which is used to exhort the listener to go quickly and tell someone else what they’ve just heard. Runtellum literally means “run and tell them” and embodies the sisters’ mission to spread truth throughout Beldemar and, paradoxically, to protect her greatest secrets.
The wardrobe idea came to me recently as I watched one of my good friends, the marvelous musical QUEEN Candace Potts, star in a musical entitled Crowns, which explores Black history and identity through the use of church hats.
After watching the musical, I was inspired to research the importance of hats in African American history. I learned that Black church hats, often called “crowns,” have been integral to African American church attire since the early 20th century. These hats afforded Black women the opportunity to express their personal style and dignity in contrast with their weekday uniforms, transcending mere fashion by empowering them to assert their self-respect, resilience, and communal identities.
When I created the Runtellum, I wanted to portray a sisterhood where storytelling is as much a weapon as it is an art. Their ornate hats signify their authority, wisdom, and an unyielding presence in Beldemarian culture, much like the crowns worn by women in Black churches, and reinforce their role as custodians of truth.
While the Runtellum play a small role in the overarching narrative of the series (we don’t meet them until almost the third act of the second book), I hope readers will appreciate these details and my attempt to honor the legacy of these crowns.