Dread Metrol is what those of us who loved Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft wish the already wonderful Domains of Dread in that book could have been had there not been length constraints. While I've been a fan of Eberron for years, my disinterest in horror made me keep Ravenloft at arm's length until VRGR, which captivated my imagination with its nuanced take on the genre. Dread Metrol dials the nuance up to 11, and takes care to approach a sensitive subject matter carefully while always staying firmly within the realm of the macabre.
As a fan of lore over crunch, I'm delighted by the massive amount of information presented on the capital of what was once the center of Khorvaire. None of it feels extraneous, with many questions most Eberron fans would ask themselves answered at exactly the right pace. There is no better feeling when reading a sourcebook than seeing something that makes you go "But what about this other thing?" and having that exact question answered in the next page. The central elements of Eberron are taken into account, even as they're translated into the Ravenloft palate. What about the Dragonmarked Houses in this nightmare world? We get explanations for all of them even as only three take center stage, which makes absolute sense in the context of a world of diminishing resources where people are pitted against one another while living the horrors of constant war. What about the warforged? These also take a central role, in how the arcane science of their being is appropriated for the war effort. What about the Silver Flame, a religion dedicated to eradicating supernatural evil, in this world of absolute supernatural evil? We get an explanation as to their absence, fitting for the world of Eberron where heroes are constantly needed and PCs are the main agents of good.
Queen Dannel is a fascinating Darklord, with the background provided here doing much to reconcile elements of her characterization from previous editions that were at best contradictory and at worst outright problematic. This is done while leaving room for the DM to leave their mark by choosing what particular act among the many provided might have potentially paved her way to being noticed by the Dark Powers. The space to take the information provided and mold it into your own is one of the hallmarks of Eberron as a setting, and Dread Metrol provides it in spades.
I have yet to run the adventure, but reading it, it resonates as suitably creepy, and includes one of my favorite NPCs of all time. The monsters included in this product are nearly uncomfortable to look at (which is a positive in horror, I suppose!) and incredibly creative. The NPCs are never one-note or stereotypes, and the writing takes care to avoid harmful tropes while relishing in the ones that make the horror genre recognizable as such. And of particular note, the creative team has demonstrated they listen to their audience and take constructive criticism to heart, as demonstrated when the Mastermaker subclass for the Artificer was updated after release taking consumer review into account.
I cannot recommend this product enough. If you're a VRGR fan, this is what you liked about that book but more. If you're an Eberron fan, this is still recognizably Eberron, and a treasure trove of amazing information. There is something here for everyone. Well, only if you like horror! The one warning would be, this is an incredibly dark product. If the horror genre is not something you enjoy, then this book might not be for you. That's the only instance in which I could see myself recommending someone against buying it!
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