The quest, "A Shadow Over Hackdirt" appears to be a reference to the H.P. Lovecraft story, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". The Lovecraft story tells of an investigator who travels to the town of Innsmouth, only to find it in shambles with few residents. The town is controlled by a cult of undersea creatures known as The Deep Ones. In Oblivion, the player travels to the dilapidated town of Hackdirt in search of a lost citizen of Chorrol, and finds a town in shambles with few residents. The main character soon learns the town is controlled by a cult underground known as The Brethren, with a book existing in the town entitled "The Bible of the Deep Ones". In addition, the Brethren feature large eyes unlike typical NPCs within the game. This may be in reference to Lovecraft's depiction of the residents of the town, "bulgy starey eyes".