Dragon Age: Origins

Looking to collate the various options for this achievement. This is partly based on my playthrough (I saved early and juggled most options) and comments from others, including the authors and commenters of the other solutions.

First step: Obtain Shale.

Shale is available as part of the Stone Prisoner DLC. Some editions of the game include this as a free bonus, even the standard looking ones, so check the box for a download code before you shell out the rather steep 1200 MSP.

Shale can be found in Honnleath as part of the first achievement for this DLC:


From here you can talk to Shale and you'll find the dialog is generally split between her (yes, Shale is female) hatred of birds and her past, of which she knows very little. From here things generally stall until you meet Caridin during the Orzammar quest "A Paragon of Her Kind" where you have 5 (yup, FIVE) basic ways forward.

NOTE: If you've already completed this quest then you probably want to follow the WITHOUT Shale options.

Option 1: Meet Caridin WITHOUT Shale, side with Caridin:
Talk to Shale back at the party camp, she will ask a few questions about Caridin and you should be able to continue with "A Golem's Memories".

Options 2 & 3: Meet Caridin WITHOUT Shale, side with Branka:
SAVE ... Then talk to Shale back at the party camp, she will ask a few questions about Caridin. Now, if you're honest Shale won't be a happy bunny and is going to leave, not good! However if you have the Cunning/Coercion you can "(lie)". With a few white lies and vague responses Shale will accept your version of the truth, stick around and let you continue with "A Golem's Memories". If it went wrong and she left, reload that save. If you had the (lie) options you can try again, otherwise leave her alone while you build up the Coercion skill then come back later.
NOTE: This method is arguably the best as not only do you get this achievement you also gain access to the Golems for the final battle!!

Option 4: Meet Caridin WITH Shale, side with Caridin:
If you have Shale with you when you arrive at the Anvil you'll learn more about her past and by siding with Caridin you'll be able to continue with "A Golem's Memories".

Option 5: Meet Caridin WITH Shale, side with Branka:
Ooops, seriously bad move! When you side with Branka, Shale will side with Caridin and you have no choice but to kill her. Time to reload that save.

"A Golem's Memories"
Assuming you've now made it past Caridin without scaring off or killing Shale you can finish off this quest.

Head to Caridin's Cross and you'll get a mini cut-scene where Shale comments that the area looks familiar and marks Cadash Thaig on your map. Turn around and exit back to the map, Cadash Thaig will now be available just below Caridin's Cross.

Cadash Thaig itself is a fairly straightforward map with plenty of Darkspawn to top up your kills with. Now I should be saying that you're looking for a large Golem Monument, except it's actually huge and near impossible to miss. On top of that you also get a map marker showing you exactly where it is (Northwest, right near the end of the area).

Investigate the Monument, complete the conversation with Shale and the achievement is yours.

This achievement is "Stone's Lament"
"Completed ''A Golem's Memories''

Golem's Memories is a sidequest from Stone Prisoner DLC, I unlocked the sidequest by taking to Shale after "A Paragon of Her Kind" Where the paragon Cainan reconises Shale and tells him about his past. I don't know how this unlocks if you dont have Shale as a party member when you meet Cainan.
"Edit: Credit to Panther553212
If you have already completed the Cainan encounter you can still get this by talking to shale in your camp."

The actual quest it self is pretty straight foward just follow the path to marker, while taking out DS.

Just to add to LegendaryMSN's solution:

Shale asks for you to explore the Deep Roads for signs of his creation. Shale must be a party member and will open a new area on your Deep Road map when you enter Caridin's Cross.

Follow the other guides if you havent been to Orzammar already and dealed with Branka or Caridin.

If you have completed the anvil of the void, and i sided with Branka saving the anvil, go to your camp and talk to Shale. Shale will be pissed that you killed Caridin because he was the only one who knew information about Shale. Keep being nice and talking to Shale trying all dialogues, and when you leave camp, or shortly after visiting a place Cadash Thaig will appear on your map.

From there go to Cadash Thaig and you will get to the giant statue at the end before the Deep Roads or whatever

I think if you sided if Caridin, the same thing will happen because Caridin kills himself anyway