I noticed that with this update, Gale no longer seems to be asking to consume the magic from enchanted items? Is that a new write for the story line? Or will that come later?

I think its triggered by something. He didn't ask to consume a magical artifact in my second playthrough, either.

Hmmm... I remember during the first playthrough without yet getting the stolen shipment flask, he was already talking about the magic in the sword I got from killing the fake Paladins at the tollhouse. Now in this play, both possession of the sword and the magical flask didn't get a peep out of him. Maybe because I didn't get the quest yet for the stolen shipment first had something to do with it? I didn't bother getting the quest at all, I just stealthed into the cave with the two survivors, stole the bottles of fire alchemy potion and the missing shipment crate and snuck back out without triggering an encounter with the two in the cave. I then went back to the druid camp, sold all my scrap and got an arcane description of the sealed flask, putting it away thereafter. I talked to Gale at camp afterwards and he told me the story of how he has the ticking magic bomb in his chest. He didn't say anything about having to offload pressure periodically to prevent a catastrophe (which he did before the update). Curious.

ADDENDUM: Never mind. As the game wore on some more, he asked me for the magical items again. I think they tweaked it so that it comes a little bit later than before. But it is still there.

Haha... I my second playthrough, Gale didn't even SHOW UP. Like, straight up wasn't at the portal.

Lazy bastard.