Well, sure, but all kinds of different things can go into a few sentences. ...But possibly he should be treating this less like he's teaching a future preacher how to sermonize. He gets the impression that the Select is hoping to get the speech over with as quickly as he possibly can.

"I think if I wanted something short and to the point based on what you told me, I'd go for something like... 'For a hundred years, Mendev's people have faced countless trials at the hands of the Abyss. But time and time again, the brave people of Mendev have risen to the occasion. They are among the finest allies I have ever fought beside, and I am honored to have them with me now as we take our first step on the long journey ahead of us. But know that this time, we fight not just to survive another year, but to end this war once and for all. It is possible to close the Worldwound, I am certain of it, and with your help we will do it together.' ...But that's just a first draft, it's not very polished."

"I am not allowed to lie."

He doesn't think he was lying? All of those are normal things to say in a speech!

...Maybe he's worried it makes it sound like he's definitely going to close the Worldwound? Or maybe he's treating it more like he's one of the fae.

"You could try adding 'I hope' anywhere you need to? Or do you also need to be careful about not saying 'for a hundred years' when it's been a hundred and seven?"

"I think I can say 'for a hundred years', and I can certainly say 'for more than a hundred years', but the people of Mendev are extremely mixed in quality. Also I think it is more likely that the Worldwound closure will be the work of an adventuring party than an army though the army will probably be useful in managing strategic positioning to allow it."

It would probably help if he believed nicer things about people in Mendev, but he's pretty sure Iomedaeans aren't allowed to do that on purpose.

"Does it work if you don't make it sound like you're saying everyone in Mendev is brave? Something like... 'For more than a hundred years, Mendev's people have faced countless trials at the hands of the Abyss, but time and time again, brave heroes within Mendev have risen to the occasion.'"

"I don't actually know much about history to be confident of that. I could... consult my historian advisor... I haven't met her yet."

"That makes sense. Do you want to invite her in now?"

"If you don't mind, yes."

His historian advisor is a perky halfling wearing a brightly-dyed dress. 

"Hi Sosiel!" She turns to Blai. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Nurah!"

Fortunately he was given her surname! "Thank you for joining us, Miss Dendiwhar, the Songbird is attempting to help me with my forthcoming speech and we have run aground on a question of historical information."

"Well, you came to the right place! What do you need to know?"

"Do you happen to have information sufficient to render me confident of - Songbird, what was your phrasing, something about the heroes of Mendev rising to each occasion -"

"For more than a hundred years, Mendev's people have faced countless trials at the hands of the Abyss. But time and time again, brave heroes within Mendev have risen to the occasion."

"Well, that's true as long as it's happened at least twice, right? Is there something more specific you need?"

"Well, has it in fact happened on at least two separate occasions, I have been favorably impressed with several people this most recent occasion but my education did not cover any previous Mendevian Crusades."

"Sure, of course! For starters, you've got Yaniel, all the way back in the Fall of Drezen — well, she died, but I think it still counts. Or Zacharius, the famous wizard, he also gave his life in the early crusades — the cemetery just outside the city is named after him. Or Godwin the Bold, who Fort Godwin was named after, he was the general who won the Second Battle of Keeper's Canyon — I don't know if you want more detail or if you just want to be sure there was anyone like that from Mendev—"

"Being sure of anyone suffices. I know Ser Seelah admires Yaniel, but didn't recognize it as specifically a Mendevian name."

"The name actually isn't, she was named after a minor hero from the Shining Crusade, but she was born and raised in Mendev. —Zacharius studied in Absalom, but he was born here, grew up here, and came back to crusade."

"I think that suffices. Do you have any other speech-related input?"

"Can you pretend like you're giving it to me right now, so I can see what you've got?"

"Oh - uh - I'm planning to deliver it under an Eagle's so hopefully the delivery will improve but what I have so far is something like - I'm going to want this written down when I have something closer to a final draft or I'll forget the exact words, but -" He casts a fresh Guidance. "For over a century Mendev's people have faced countless trials at the hands of the Abyss, but time and again its brave heroes have risen to the occasion. Here I have met among the finest allies I have ever fought beside, and" he can't say he's honored, he has searched within himself for honor and all he's getting is static and panic, "and this time as we muster our forces I mean to command not a holding action, but the ultimate closure of the Worldwound; I am certain it can be done. - and then I'm going to take out the angel sword but I don't know its uses per day limit so if there is any chance we are going to keep bringing people into this room for additional polish work I should not do it every time."

"Maybe add something about how the gods are with us? Most people like that sort of thing, and the ones who don't" (she hesitates slightly) "get used to it. And you're a cleric, so it's true whether or not you've really been working miracles."

"...the phrase really underspecifies which gods and it oversells how much help we ought to plan on."

"People say 'righteous gods,' if what they mean is the Good gods and the Neutral gods who are on the side of Good. ...Not that everyone agrees which Neutral gods those are, mind you, and I don't know if that means you can't say it."

"I think really the full explanation of why there are any problems such that a majority of gods might be understood to want them solved is pretty theologically complicated and I'm reluctant to invoke oversimplifications."