Bearing the burdensome Netherese Orb in his chest, a relic obtained in an attempt to win the favor of the Goddess of Magic, Mystra, Gale has been haunted by arcane hunger. While traveling alongside his companions in their quest to save the world from the Cult of the Absolute, he has been burdened with the constant need to feed the orb with magic from enchanted items. This has taken its toll on him and his companions. When he was back home in Waterdeep he could at least hide himself away from others, he didn't have to bother anyone with his own affliction.

The constant frustration from his companions had been eating away at him almost as badly as the orb, he wasn't sure what was worse; seeing his companions' unhappy or disgusted looks, or the pain of the orb hungry and gnawing at him. It served as a reminder of his folly, his failure, and his inadequacies.

Drowning in guilt over frustrating his companions with his constant desperate need to have them sacrifice their prized possessions to quell his arcane hunger, Gale found himself in seclusion just outside of camp. Bent over in pain, the pulsating orb within him glowed with a vivid purple hue, causing his breaths to turn ragged and strained. Desperate to avoid causing a scene, he hid himself on the edge of camp, his hand gripping the rough bark of the tree he leaned on until his knuckles turned white, doing everything in his power to not fall to his knees. His body was weak, pained, and exhausted. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to call for help, to cause any more distress than he already had.

He was so engulfed in his own agony and anxiety that he didn't hear the footsteps approaching him.