The Valley of Zion—now known as the Valley of the Damned—was once the jewel of the Underland, a beacon of civilization deep beneath the surface world. The story of its rise and fall is one of ambition, hubris, and mystery. Though its origins are clouded, scholars believe the city of Narim at the valley's center was settled some thousand or so years ago when surface dwellers seeking refuge from persecution found the valley with its strange but wondrous luminosity. The settlers built their city, Narim, around this gift of light, engineering an ingenious system of mirrors and crystals to distribute the light throughout the valley to create a perpetual golden day that nurtured crops and sustained life. The central island in the lake became their spiritual center, crowned by the Temple of Eternal Light—the domed structure that still stands today.

For centuries, Narim flourished. The Narimians developed sophisticated underground agriculture, cultivating unique fungi and plants that thrived in their controlled environment. Their intricate canal system channeled underground springs, creating a network of waterways that served as both irrigation and transportation. Trade routes were established with other Underland civilizations, and Narim became a center of learning and craftsmanship. The valley's society was structured around seven Great Houses, each responsible for different aspects of governance and specialized crafts.

Records from neighboring Underland civilizations indicate that communication with Narim abruptly ceased approximately 500 years ago. Several expeditions were mounted to investigate, but all who entered the valley never returned. The valley still maintains its mysterious light source, though dimmer than in historical accounts. The structures remain remarkably preserved, and the waterways occasionally shift and flow as if responding to unseen mechanisms.