Manbearcat
Legend
Yup. Whatever high utility, low overhead props help people to improvise is the way to do it. I've always used flashcards with a few key words or tropes on them. That has always been more than sufficient to ignite my creative fuse and drop a bomb in the lap of my players.
But much of that was just training my brain. Now I barely even use improv props. My mental framework is just calibrated for that stuff now. That is why practice is so important. It seems like so many people came into D&D 4e not really understanding that for dynamic scene resolution, the situation has to change dramatically...constantly. The WORST THING you can do as a GM is to say "nothing happens..." either actually using those words or having the situation remain utterly static post action declaration > resolution phase.
I mean, the king may be moved by your appeal to a historical account of his father's father committing to housing the war's refugees (perhaps that is your request now)...but then the Master Stonemason barges in (with the chamberlain and several guards trying to restrain him) and is in hysterics about an imminent collapse of the northwest section of the keep's foundation! Something sudden has happened! He can't identify what and he certainly doesn't have the means to repair it! Everyone has to evacuate!
That (a) changes the situation dynamically (and is not a naturalistic outgrowth of that History check) and (b) introduces a new obstacle to the players' goal and a new opportunity for non-face characters (maybe Dungeoneering, maybe Athletics, maybe a Druid with a Stone-working spell). Maybe it turns out that there are Umberhulks or a Bullette that is destabilizing the foundation and they'll need to be dealt with (a nested combat for a success or 2 in the SC)?
That is how a Social Skill challenge evolves dynamically. Not "the king is moved by your recounting of his family's legacy...but nope...still no refugees...sorry guy." Then that leading to 20 more minutes of dialogue/monologue and I DIPLOMACY HIM HARDER!
