The Zuguruk represented a specific societal division, or caste, within the Sith species. This sentient species originated on the planet of Korriban, found within the region called the Stygian Caldera. Functioning as the second-highest caste, the Zuguruk served as engineers, bearing the responsibility of constructing both burial mounds and formidable battleships for the Sith civilization.
Being a subspecies within the broader Sith species, the Zuguruk's ancestral home was Korriban, a harsh planet characterized by its arid climate and located within the Stygian Caldera region. They shared physical similarities with other Sith castes, exhibiting a generally humanoid form and skin tones that ranged in hue from deep crimson to dark obsidian. A distinguishing feature of at least some Zuguruk individuals was their possession of Human-like hands, complete with five digits, contrasting with the more common tridactyl hand structure found in other Sith subspecies.
Around the year 6900 BBY, the Sith Kingdom experienced conquest at the hands of a group of Dark Jedi exiles. Under the leadership of the former Jedi High General Ajunta Pall, the Zuguruk continued in their established roles. However, [Sorzus Syn](/article/sorzus_syn], another prominent Dark Jedi leader, believed that a powerful starfleet was more crucial for their new dark side empire than impressive architectural structures. Syn planned to persuade Pall to reallocate the Zuguruk's efforts, even threatening to depose him from his position as Dark Lord of the Sith if he resisted.
In the time leading up to Naga Sadow's initiation of the Great Hyperspace War, Zuguruk loyal to Sadow were instructed to set up a projector. This projector was used to display a map illustrating the extent of both the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic to Gav Daragon.
Within the rigidly structured Sith society, the Zuguruk held the responsibility for the design and construction of various mechanical devices, engines, and buildings. Prior to the arrival of the Dark Jedi, these Sith engineers primarily dedicated their efforts to constructing tumuli. However, under the influence of Sorzus Syn, their focus shifted towards designing and building battleships to support the new Sith Empire's aggressive military objectives.
The Zuguruk made their initial appearance in the fourth issue of the comic series Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi – The Golden Age of the Sith. This issue was written by Kevin J. Anderson, illustrated by Dario Carrasco, Jr., and published by Dark Horse Comics on January 8, 1997. Their identification as Zuguruk was first established in Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side, a reference book from 2012 authored by Daniel Wallace.
The image depicting a Zuguruk in the Book of Sith portrays the character with Human-like hands, featuring five fingers, which contradicts the established lore of the Sith species typically possessing tridactyl hands.