Long story short, I ran into Lae’zel in the cage just after we wake up on the beach in the very beginning.
I went by her and reloaded for reasons, but accidentally went a different way after that, forgot about it, & just realized she would be good to have as a Companion during combat.
I’m about to kill the goblins, and I went back for her at her previous location but she’s no longer there. Did I lose her for good, or is there still a chance?
Thanks everyone, I’m new to BG/D&D completely so apologies if this is a dumb n00b move, but I am one :)
You have another chance to get her just before entering Act 2 if you head to the Mountain Pass. If you enter Act 2 without her, she is gone forever.
You can actually come back for her during act 2 too. If you move on to act 3 then it’s too late. There are two different ways to get to the mountain pass. She’s at the top route. Be ready for a fight. ;)
Edit: there’s a big fight in act 2 that is possibly the point of no return for going back. They tell you that it will have several effects on the world before you start it.
If you missed her in the beginning, you should be able get her later when you run into the Gith patrol just before entering the mountain pass. I think it’s around the inn that was attacked in the north of the map.
I did something similar, ran into her cage, convinced to tieflings to go away but I didn’t realize at first you can use a ranged weapon to free her (yeah I’m that noob lol) so I went away to search for crates to climb on. As soon as I left the area the quest was completed, she was no longer there.
As I understand it, she freed herself and you will find her quite later on to join you (after mountain pass) - assuming you convinced to tieflings to not kill her, in that case she’s not lost, you’ll have another chance.
I personally reloaded a previous save to free her myself.
Check the journal for information. Might give you a clue.
I did the same, my journal has her under completed quests, and says I missed her
If you’re still in act 1 you should still be able to get her. But I can’t be certain I guess