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In Oblivion, the quest "A Shadow Over Hackdirt" is one of my favorites. The entire town has been worshipping these underground "Deep Ones" for generations. If you venture deep enough down, you can even hear them. Supposedly they taught the residents of Hackdirt Daedric as well. The question remains, who or what are they? It is interesting that they seem to have some kind of hypnotic hold on the population. I've heard theories that they are Sload based on the fact that their "Bible" is identical to N'Gasta Kvata Kvakis, which was written by a Sload. However, I'm not convinced. Why would a Sload be in Cryodiil, living underground and controlling some backwoods village? What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.

Couldn't it just be as possible that the folks of Hackdirt are just crazy, or being toyed with by some entity? I personally just think they've lost it, no help from Sheo, I'm sure Not everything needs to be lore-deep, some things can literally amount to nothing

Still tho, I certainly wouldn't put it pass the Daedra, Prince or not. Aspiring mortals or lesser spirits dont exactly have the best track record either. Not to mention certain influences(i.e dark magic) can have negative effect on others. Or? And do hear me, or some mad man just wanted to start a cult with mad ravings?

Per any relation to the Sload, remember, they themselves were fairly close and heavy worshipers of the Daedra. Would it be so surprising if they adopted some terms or runes? If the 'Deep Ones' are in fact daedric in origin, the similarities can be explained.. even if, again, I doubt they actually existed. Some dude could have just grabbed some random daedric runes and made gibberish from it

They are, undoubtedly, the natural enemies of the Shallow Ones.

Well it is possible, except for the fact that you can hear the Deep Ones in game if you venture down far enough. That plus the fact that their Bible is a carbon copy of N'Gasta Kvata Kvakis makes me lean toward the Sload theroy, but I dunno. I know they are basically just a Lovecraft reference on the surface, but I like to think there is a lore based explanation as well.

Well, sorry if I still remain skeptical, the Sunken One sort of will do that to ya. The explanation can fall shorter than expectations, sometimes, folks are just mad or superstitious(and very, very stupid)

Also yes, you can hear 'something' in that lil dead end, but looking at real life examples.. Ominous noises are commonly misinterpreted as something more than they are, like air currents in a cave or any number of things. Not to say that's my personal conclusion, it doesn't explain everything, but it can serve as an explanation on the noise.. Especially when, as the residents in Hackdirt claim, the Deep Ones fled and their trying to bring them back

If the Deep Ones had to be an entity, Daedric is the best bet. Just saying, it perfectly fits the mold, far better than some 'mysterious' race we never hear or see again. Which is fine, it actually seems more true to the source of the reference

Hope I was not late with the answer. As for me, I also see a Lovecraft reference (this isn't the first time it happened, remember Mehrunes Dagon, ascended sleepers or seekers in Skyrim), because in Lovecraft's mythology there are the monsters named the Deep Ones present in the story The Shadow over Innsmouth. Obviously, it is a direct reference. Moreover, stylistically the name of the bible "N'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!" is similar to "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu fhtagn!" from the Call of Cthulhu.

The text of the bible is also decipherable, but I forgot how it's done.

The Deep Ones are the Lurkers you encounter in Solstheim. The Questline in Hackdirt is a Tamrielic retelling of the Shadow Over Innsmouth by HP Lovecraft. The Lurkers are based off the Deep Ones from that story. N'Gasta plays the role of Alhazred, so we can assume the Bible of the Deep ones is either a book given to the Sload by the Lurkers or a Sloadish translation of one of the Black Books.