Quote from: D-503;817469It occurs to me that I could run CoC like Pendragon. Assume months between adventures, plenty of downtime, actually use the rules as written for reading tomes and learning spells by assuming a quiet two years passes or whatever.

This is probably one of the best ways of doing it. Even when I am running published campaigns like Masks of Nyarlathotep, I like to have plenty of downtime.

Most of the books for ToC are excellent and not difficult to translate to CoC at all. I have only found a disappointing adventure set in Spanish Civil War, but all the big campaigns are really recommended.

Also, as someone else suggested, think about creating your own threat. In the Nocturnum campaign, a modern CoC campaign from Fantasy Flight, later adaptaed for CoC D20, the author created two alien races struggling for some artifacts. It works like a charm, as no player knows them.

Quote from: Imperator;817735Most of the books for ToC are excellent and not difficult to translate to CoC at all. I have only found a disappointing adventure set in Spanish Civil War, but all the big campaigns are really recommended.

Just out of curiosity, why is the adventure set in the Spanish civil war bad? Too rail roady? Badly written? Or is it more because you may have a better understanding of the conflict being a Spaniard, than the author? Again just curious.

Quote from: D-503;817700What was the Ministry?

My version of the B.P.R.D. from Hellboy. Basically a British gentleman's club devoted to investigating the occult and protecting Britain from supernatural threats.

Of course, long ago they'd been infiltrated by a cult...

Quote from: CRKrueger;817718With a motto of "In Absentia Lucis, Tenebrae Vincunt" were you intending to tie the Ministry to the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense of Hellboy fame at all?

Exactly that.

On the topic of gumshoe and the too well known monstrosities: I think that the book of unremitting horrors offers a few quite fresh and interesting creatures that work reasonably well in most cthuloid games.
Otherwise, (and essentially British), Stoker's  Lair of the White Worm forms a great backbone for a classic not-really-but-close-enough take on a Cthulhu myth story. Just add serpentfolk.
Other than that I would actually recommend not using any of the GOOs as anyhing but a very distant element; they exist, but they do not need to actively participate in any relevant gaming events.  Stoker's white worm doesn't have to be an avatar of Yig (for instance) to be a horrible, horrible monster. The fact that it exists alone should be sufficient. The GOOs do not differ that much from each other, especially in their role within a campaign: if they appear, the investigators die (and those who don't envy the dead). Which one you use (if at all) is mostly moot, and name recognition - not exactly helpful if a certain "been there done that" ennui plagues your players. An interesting take on the more manageable mythos entities, like Shea's Fat Face offers more potential.
Mythos monsters are great when you never mention any names. Mythos gods are at their best when they are nothing but names.

Beagle's advice is spot on.  

The challenge for me is in world design, and that's where knowing the power behind the throne becomes critical. The Mythos head sets the mood & manner, as they often have distinct calling features. The variations between serving organizations (cults, cadres, loons, alien races, etc) deviates not too far from the head.

Having that alien-aligned perspective helps me see an Earth locale through their non-Euclidean rose-colored glasses. Then generating NPCs, Locations, & Hooks becomes easier, for me at least.

Quote from: Ronin;817753Just out of curiosity, why is the adventure set in the Spanish civil war bad? Too rail roady? Badly written? Or is it more because you may have a better understanding of the conflict being a Spaniard, than the author? Again just curious.

Basically, the book is not very well documented. Not White-Wolf bad, but it makes several glaring mistakes describing the siege of Madrid, wrong dates and the like. also, the adventure is not well written (specially when compared with the usual standards of Pelgrane) and I remember that at some points it left me scratching my head.

It is not terrible, mind you. But usually ToC products are very very good.

Quote from: Imperator;818541Basically, the book is not very well documented. Not White-Wolf bad, but it makes several glaring mistakes describing the siege of Madrid, wrong dates and the like. also, the adventure is not well written (specially when compared with the usual standards of Pelgrane) and I remember that at some points it left me scratching my head.

It is not terrible, mind you. But usually ToC products are very very good.

Anyone doing anything for Cthulhu had better be careful about historical accuracy, given the standards that have been set.