Oh no, not at all. It's not like becoming an old-school Jedi, or a Grey Warden, or joining a monastery. Well, not in most cases. They can be structured that way, but in the majority of cases, no, and not in Norah's case.

>I'd like to think her parents get missives from Norah on occasion,
>instead of having to wait for the news to arrive.

Oh, sure, pretty regularly. They've even been back to Niúvac a few times. Reading about their exploits in the newspaper is just corroboration of her assertion that she is not, in fact, in thrall to some kind of crazed wanderer. Usually. :)

"It's too bad this cave doesn't go further on," Nemo said. "We might be able to take a shortcut through the mountain instead of walking around it again."

"And if I had a team of elven sappers I could tunnel you across in a fortnight, but we haven't got either, so let's get a move on," Norah replied practically.

Nemo smiled as he followed her back out to the narrow mountain path. "I could probably blast it myself," he said.

"Don't you dare," said Norah. "That's all we need is for you to have one of your wizard moments and bring the whole frexing mountain down on our heads, like you did in Ranuf."

"I meant to do that!" Nemo protested. "Baron Kardosky and his men certainly weren't expecting it..."

Norah let out a quiet chuckle at that, remembering the red-faced baron and his retinue plummeting with about a quarter of Amon Hurel into the icy waters of the Firth of Ranuf. That had been a worthwhile day, even if she had nearly been crushed by a rock the size of a small ship.

"Clever miners, elves," Nemo observed absently. "They do some quite remarkable things with hydraulics."

Norah snorted. "I think you mean 'pneumatics'," she said. "Don't think I didn't see you looking at Alóniel the last time we were in Kelgoroth."

"You are a little grey assassin of character, Norah Kal'mâk," Nemo sniffed indignantly.