Marvella Va'len is the last surviving member of the Nightsisters (or Va'len Clan/Madison Coven), responsible for their deaths before taking to the scene as an international villain with the goal of accumulating as much knowledge as possible as the old adage 'Knowledge is Power' had become her creed. An incredibly deadly sorceress, Marvella had managed to maintain independence from any malicious organization for the duration of her global crime-spree save for her loose alliance with the supervillain, Talisman. It was shortly after this alliance had ended that the eccentric spellcaster mysteriously vanished. When the world thought Marvella had finally been ousted by her abuse of magic or killed by Talisman she inexplicably returned and surrendered herself to the authorities. While undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, it was discovered that Marvella has a hyper-systemic mind - a mind that constantly craves for knowledge. With this discovery in mind, it was deemed that the actions of the last Va'len were a result of mental instability. It was summarily decided that she would be institutionalized for rehabilitation. Now discharged, Marvella Va'len fights beside her former adversaries as part of her long road to redemption, donning the moniker The Nightsister in honor of her fallen sisters, while doing all she can to stop from relapsing.

The Nightsisters were one of the few covens that studied dark magic to better the world. Its founders realized that sometimes the only way to defeat daemons and monsters is to understand their power and use it against them. While they maintained a passive stance within magical affairs, they did act as advisors and provided information to those fellow witches, warlocks, and hunters that dealt with demonic activity directly. However, the Nightsisters' studies of dark magic made many highly wary of them as they were more likely to become corrupted and despite constant attempts by the Elders to allay any fears, it is a wariness that has lingered.

They were one of the several covens that were present for the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. At first, they were able to maintain their secret while innocent women, and men, were wrongly accused of witchcraft and put to the stake. However, as the situation escalated the Supreme of the coven at the time, Anna-Leigh Delaque-Va'len, began to fear for the Nightsisters' safety and ability to remain hidden. So it was decided that the Clan would leave Salem and find a new home within North America. For a time the coven kept on the move, never staying in one place for too long to avoid their secret being discovered. They remained nomadic for the better part of a century before finally settling in Madison County in 1788.