Potential Dragon Age: Origins companion Shale can be acquired in The Stone Prisoner DLC after a strange merchant sells the Grey Warden player character a control rod for a stone golem that can be found in the village of Honnleath. However, this was not Shale's first appearance in the franchise, as the golem appeared with their mage master, Wilhelm, in the rebel camp during David Gaider's companion novel The Stolen Throne, which released before the DLC.
Upon acquiring the golem's control rod, the player travels to Honnleath only to discover the village overrun by darkspawn. After taking care of the threat, an attempt to activate the golem proves fruitless, and the party must work their way through the village in search of someone who knows more about the golem and how to activate it.
The player meets with the son of the golem's last owner, who agrees to reveal the secret of the golem's activation if the Warden saves his little girl. Acquiring the proper activation phrase brings Shale to life in the village square, and the player can then recruit them to join in the crushing of many darkspawn (and pigeons).
The Stone Prisoner brought Shale in all their dry humor, sarcasm and sass to life. Conversations with the golem reveal very little at first, but as the Warden begins gifting them with unique augmentation crystals and shiny gemstones, Shale begins to soften a little. It soon becomes apparent, however, that it remembers almost noting about its past beyond its former master, Wilhelm. The mage, who was a hero of the Ferelden rebellion against Orlais, was a treasure hunter who liked to search the Deep Roads for unique artifacts. That's where he happened upon Shale and took the golem under his control.
Shale loathed Wilhelm, noting that he was a vain tyrant who took great pleasure in flashing his power around and ordering Shale to torment and terrify the people in the village. Wilhelm, who had been researching demons in the days before his death, unleashed a powerful desire demon that he believed might be attempting to control Shale. Wilhelm died brutally and mysteriously, and though both Shale and Wilhelm's son Matthias, claim the golem killed their master, there were no witnesses to prove it. Regardless, Shale is not the least bit shy about admitting they are glad the mage died.
If Shale is recruited early enough to accompany the Grey Warden into the Deep Roads on their search for the Paragon Branka, the golem's backstory begins to unfold when they encounter the Paragon Cairidin. Fighting Branka and saving Cairidin reveals that Shale was once a Dwarven warrior named Shayle of House Cadash, who offered herself to become a golem in the military regiment known as the Legion of Steel. Learning this activates a quest to explore Cadash Thaig, and the Warden can take Shale to discover even more about their past.
In the event the player sides with Branka, they are forced to kill Shale and Cairidin in the battle for the Anvil of the Void. Not taking Shale along on the quest still offers the ability to explore Cadash Thaig the next time the golem is taken into the Deep Roads.
Though Shale did not appear in Dragon Age II, the golem was mentioned by the bartender in The Hanged Man. Additionally, a picture of Shale chasing pigeons can be seen in Cassandra's book during the game's end credits, suggesting the Seeker of Truth likely acquired details about the Hero of Ferelden from Leliana when she became Left Hand of the Divine.
Shale went on to appear in the companion novel, Dragon Age: Asunder. After the Fifth Blight, Shale accompanies the mage Wynne in her travels, and eventually finds themself at the White Spire during events that furthered provoke the outbreak of the mages-templar war. In their final adventure together, Wynne and Shale work with a mage named Pharamond, who believes there's a cure for the Right of Tranquility. Wynne thinks Pharamond's findings could, potentially, return Shale to their original form.
Whether or not Pharamond's discovery about the Right of Tranquility could potentially make Shale a female dwarf again is unknown, as Shale has not been referenced since Asunder. The golem attends the ceremony following Wynne's death, but it's impossible to guess what happened to them afterwards.
Perhaps Shale took the information about the Rite of Tranquility to another mage in hopes of reclaiming their former body, or maybe they returned to the Deep Roads to wander Cadash Thaig. It may have even joined the Hero of Ferelden on the mysterious quest that took them away from events of Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Regardless of where Shale went after Asunder, following the trail of feathers and crushed pigeons could lead fans to their favorite golem eventually. There is hope they may appear in future games, perhaps resurfacing in Tevinter, where Dragon Age 4 is rumored to take place.