Updated info to clarify what the fix actually was for;
[Fixed] Gale will no longer permanently leave the party if you don't offer him any magic items while talking to him – unless you're abundantly clear that you don't plan on ever doing so.
This is a temporary bug fix that aims to avoid Gale immediately leaving the party when players are unable to hand over an item. In Hotfix #16, we began the process of updating a player’s ability to access certain quest-related items, even if they were in the camp chest, or in the inventory of a companion waiting at camp.
However, the UI through which items can be donated to Gale has not yet been updated, which meant that the dialogue could be triggered if the items were available elsewhere, but would not show in the UI to be donated. This risked placing players in a situation where Gale expected an item from them, and they were unable to provide one.
With this initial fix, closing the UI or using any line other than “I’m not giving you anything. Not now, not ever” will prevent Gale from immediately abandoning your party, until the UI logic has been updated.
If you’re keen to give Gale the boot, and don’t have an actual shoe to share in your inventory, selecting “I’m not giving you anything. Not now, not ever”, will still cause Gale to leave your party, permanently!
