The Week of Blood was a direct result Vox Verlix's plans to construct and maintian the ambituous Sanctaphrax Forest - designed to prevent the Sanctaphrax rock from touching the ground. In order to maintain such a colossal operation, Vox had required a huge number of creatures to tend to this gigantic cradle of wood; the Undertowners had been unwilling to provide such assistance, and so Vox had unmercifully turned to slavery, having his High Chancellor Amberfuce enlist the services of General Tytugg's Hammerhead and Flat-Head Goblins to round up healthy Undertowners to work against their will on the Forest.