Some books do give experience points if you have the SAGE background. Gale has this background, too.
The mods are great. I just tried one that gives you a feat selection which lets you shapeshift into a cat, and then I combined it with another mod that makes benign shapeshift into an infinite-cast ritual spell. It's not game-changing, and it gives another fun way of solving problems. Fantastic!
And finally, never consume half-eaten apples. I don't actually know if anything weird happens or not, I just won't do it. No way.
