Saving Smythin Before Getting Sazza

[Exoarchaeolo]

I've never had Smythin appear in the goblin camp before because I've always rescued Sazza so she counts as an "attached follower" (even though when she's in the camp she walks ahead of you instead of beside you like other companions).

I would like to wait to rescue Sazza to see if I can get Smythin to spawn this time around. My question is this: am I able to talk to her while she is still in the cage at the grove and tell her I'll free her without opening it, or will me agreeing to free her (even though I have not opened the cage yet) make it so she's an attached follower and then he won't spawn? Thanks.

[Mike Garrison]

I was like, "Who is Smythin?" So I looked him up, and whoa! He's the guy the goblins push into the spider pit. "We want you dead, not dead and heroic."

It never, ever even occurred to me to try to save him.

[Romnia]

She'll only start following you/attach to your party after you break her cage open. You can just ignore her area (or just get the tiefling girlie to chill out then leave), go to the goblin camp and Smythin will be there.
At least that's what I remember from my playthroughs, I used to never indulge her or didn't know she existed at the very start, so Smythin was the one getting shoved into the pit for me most of the time.