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 :)
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.
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.
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.
I didn’t convince them though, after the reload to before ever seeing her at all, I went a different way (on accident), never went by her at all, and didn’t think to go back by her right away.