Nyrielle was born in Breland. As a child, she wanted to be a soldier and fight for her country like her father. Whenever her father was home, she'd train with him and her twin brother, learning how to fight. In 992 YK, she received word that her father had been killed by Cyran soldiers in a skirmish.
She never met her elven mother, her father always said that she'd returned to Aerenel. Their house was repossessed to pay for her father's debts, and Nyrielle and her brother Nandon were made homeless. Nyrielle enlisted in the army three years later, and joined the King's Citadel. As far as most people know, she has acted as an aide and assistant to the likes of Boranel ir'Wynarn, Haydith ir'Wynarn and Oargev ir'Wynarn, though it was never clear which branch of the Citadel she was working for. The Mist Walkers now know that Nyrielle Tam is one of the King's Dark Lanterns, acting under the alias Thorn.
She was assigned to the Brelish delegation at the Droaam Summit in 999 YK, as Lord Beren ir'Wynarn's aide.