Overall? I have a soft spot for Shale. She has no soft spot for anyone, being... you know... made of rock. It's why I put her in Asunder, and why she was also going to be in the - apparently now notorious for its Fenris murder - cancelled fourth DA novel. Also, if you're a pigeon fan: not sorry. 😇 - ThreadSky

davidgaider.bsky.social • 126 days ago

Overall? I have a soft spot for Shale. She has no soft spot for anyone, being... you know... made of rock. It's why I put her in Asunder, and why she was also going to be in the - apparently now notorious for its Fenris murder - cancelled fourth DA novel.

Also, if you're a pigeon fan: not sorry. 😇

Comments

regretfulfaerie.bsky.social•125 days ago

Alistair and Shale’s banter is some of my favorite writing in the game 🤣

brittney.bsky.social•126 days ago

I recently finished another DAO run and Shale is SUCH A PRESENCE and absolute highlight. 🪨

residenteccentric.bsky.social•126 days ago

Oh my God it's you! I remember being a nerdy teen into Dragon Age and no one else at school was into it and watching your "Dragon Age Obsessed" video and loving it. I remember being jealous of the action figures and books. I have the books now. No action figures though. Anyways...nostalgia blast...

brittney.bsky.social•126 days ago

Awww hi! That’s a fun story haha! Hope you’ve been well all these years! ❤️

knight1029.bsky.social•126 days ago

Fenris dies? BUT we get more Shale? Maybe the novel shouldn't have been cancelled?

ednoria.bsky.social•126 days ago

I remember Concrete, I may still have it somewhere. Great comic, and a great inspiration for Shale.

duckiequackiequack.bsky.social•126 days ago

I’d pay that price any day, everything for the queen of sass, when I learned Shale is in Asunder and is shown to be nuanced as always I was sooo happy

thelasttankmage.bsky.social•123 days ago

I loved Shale so much!

zencleaves.bsky.social•126 days ago

I love Shale, especially their voice actor. I noticed recently the actor has almost nothing to their credit on IMDB except for Shale, so im not sure how she was discovered (or if you’d know or remember) but her performance was great. Learning the origin of the pigeons is amazing too so thank you!

hrungr.bsky.social•126 days ago

Ahh, Shale. 😎

I didn't realize she was that close to not making it in the game. She's among my Top 3 favorite characters across the entire franchise!

(Being a "quantum" character, I'm missing that canceled DA novel now more than ever.)

taenia.bsky.social•125 days ago

I'm glad Shale wasn't cut. She's one of my absolute favorites.

kiranox.bsky.social•126 days ago

Every time I start a new origins playthrough I'm like "ok I'm not going to bring Shale with me everywhere, should try and get some other banter"

And then Shale somehow winds up in my party for the entire game. It's so weird 😂

I love her so much ❤️

thetyrant.bsky.social•126 days ago

Shale is one of my favorite characters of all time and I mean that genuinely. Thank you for not giving up on them and releasing them even as DLC.

mishtryoshka.bsky.social•126 days ago

Shale was wonderful. Almost full-time companion in my playthrough. (Dog was modded in as permanent hehe.)

archelepago.bsky.social•126 days ago

I love Shale, she brings something unique to the game with how she functions in combat. Also she has perhaps one of the most messed up backstories for a party character, in any Bioware game at least. In RPGs overall I'd have a hard time arguing if Astarion or Shale had a harsher past.

mydeerestdivine.bsky.social•126 days ago

furyswipes.bsky.social•125 days ago

I do love pigeons... But I also love Shale, so regardless of the lack of apology I can overlook the pigeon hate since it resulted in such a brilliant character.

I expect I'd also hate pigeons if I had a similar view at work.

stephgerk.bsky.social•126 days ago

Fenris murder??!

davidgaider.bsky.social•126 days ago

Well, he was slated to die in it... according to some fans, that's essentially the equivalent of me leaping on Zevran and gleefully stabbing him to death. 😉

inquisitea.bsky.social•126 days ago

I love shale so much and love that she was (re)born because of pigeons - would she love that? probably not

scottknoll.bsky.social•126 days ago

Fenris what?! Also, loved Shale - one of my favorites in the series for being so different.

moviemeister76.bsky.social•126 days ago

When I was reading Asunder and Shale showed up, I nearly screamed in delight. She was a delight to read about in that book

leliwardens.bsky.social•126 days ago

Will there be a thread on the now infamous Fenris Dies novel? I'm so curious how Shale ties into it. I assume something to do with Tevinter?

davidgaider.bsky.social•126 days ago

I'd really rather not make more of it than it deserves. The novel was never finished, was cancelled nine years ago, and will never happen now. There's no reason for anyone to get excited or upset about it, honestly.

leliwardens.bsky.social•126 days ago

That's valid! Leaves room for fun speculation. Thank you for answering. :D

regalrhetoric.bsky.social•125 days ago

I mean, if there's anything to be upset about, it's that you haven't published any more books. We'd all read them! ;P

ussstellardrift.bsky.social•123 days ago

There is a Great Blue Heron at Alton Baker Park in Eugene, OR my wife and I named Shale because the day we met her, she was nipping at pigeons who were dive bombing her.

tyranox.bsky.social•125 days ago

now i love shale more . and i absolutely loathe pidgeons myself, for no rational reason they really scare me.
thank you for sharing the story !

eldritchbebe.bsky.social•126 days ago

Shale was one of the standouts in DAO for me. All the companions are gold imo, but Shale, Wynne, and Morrigan are my favorites. I so hoped I’d get to see Shale again in a Dragon Age game. Alas.

mr-1.bsky.social•125 days ago

I'm so glad Shale survived and made it into the DLC. She is one of my top three DA companions. Thank you for creating her.

corbin.dev•126 days ago

Shale was/is honestly my favorite character in the entire franchise, and absolutely the one I relate most to mood/vibe wise. I cannot imagine DA:O without her at this point.

cdnein.bsky.social•125 days ago

Shale was such a highlight of da:o that I had her as a permanent party member even if it didn't really make sense composition wise. So imagine my joy when playing a dwarven inquisitor and seeing that callback to shale through the codex. :D

jannlee360.bsky.social•126 days ago

It's so intriguing to learn how some of the characters come to life or what random elements inspire to write the character, like the pigeons.

Shale is a great character and I'm glad she made it into DAO. 🙌 She has some of the best banter! ❤️🤣
https://youtu.be/1Ru0KyTkLok?si=7qppt1DN2JBHOY6C

redkittenrevolt.bsky.social•125 days ago

We domesticated pigeons and then abandoned them with very little survival skills outside their dependence on us. Can't judge the fish by the hook in its mouth.

davidgaider.bsky.social•125 days ago

Oh, I absolutely can, I assure you.

redkittenrevolt.bsky.social•125 days ago

I mean sure, but it wouldn't be a very accurate reflection on the fish.

What's so bad about pigeons lol

angelamorpheus.bsky.social•126 days ago

That pigeon rage definitely came shining through in Shale. I just love that cantankerous rock woman. And how vain she was, in spite of the pigeon paint. Glad she ended up in the game, even if it was via DLC.

fresiann44.bsky.social•126 days ago

This whole thread made me giggle so uncontrollably I scared my cat that was trying to cuddle with me.

I love Shale! I love her banter with every other companion! I love her pet rock! The crystals! Such a fashionable big lady! Her and Sten? Amazing.

mirastar.bsky.social•122 days ago

My DAO party ended up being Shale and whomever I chose for her to torture. Entering Orzammar with her and Alistair was a riot. So thanks to you and the pidgeons for that wonderful rock of a companion.

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