Shale

Shale is a goliath fighter from the Herd of Storms. She is played by special guest Chris Perkins.

Background
Old and physically impaired, the herd hasn't afforded Shale much respect in recent years, especially with Kevdak's brash and battle-hungry leadership. As part of a goliath scouting party to Umbrasyl's cave on the peak of Gatshadow Mountain, Shale was slower than her companions. She heard from a distance as a brief battle claimed the lives of the other goliaths, dissolved by Umbrasyl's acid attack.

Encounter with Vox Machina
After accompanying Vox Machina in the successful slaying of Umbrasyl at Gatshadow's peak, Shale returned to Thunderlord Zanror. Zanror, upon considering Shale's wisdom on their victory and the nature of life and death in battle, announced that the Herd of Storms was destroyed and perhaps the survivors should now join the Rivermaw Tribe for a more peaceful life better suited to raising children. Shale commended the decision.

Trivia

 * Shale is the fourth character featured in Critical Role missing a hand, after Anna Ripley, Cerkonos, and Tyriok Gadsworth.  (Victor is missing his fingers on his right hand, but he still has the actual hand.)
 * Shale was introduced in .  For the next episode,, Sam Riegel wrote a limerick about Shale, and Scanlan Shorthalt used it to provide Bardic Inspiration to Kerrek.