Oclanoc (Dn. "Swallower of the Sea") was a great natural cliff resembling a stony face, in southwestern Lebennin (Lebinnevet), Gondor, a few miles northwest of the town of Gaeros and close to the forest known as the Erinath or Cil-Iscod. The Eyes of Oclanoc were a set of steep cliff-caves which formed the "eyes" of the great stone face. The eyes were true cave entrances, about 4’ high, through which two small rivulets flowed continuously, giving the face the appearance of weeping. No tales had survived the long years to tell the origin of this strange visage. Whether it was wrought by the hands of ancient Men and weathered by the centuries, or created by some mysterious coincidence of nature, no living man knew.
“Steer by the Eyes of Oclanoc to reach the Sea,” stated a Daen (Sakalai) proverb, “but steer it widely by!” The more superstitious locals even today warn that the face of Oclanoc actually possesses great hands below the surface which can grab and pull under even the largest ship foolish enough to come too close.
References[]
- MERP #3400: Sea-lords of Gondor… Pelargir and Lebennin
- The Eyes of Oclanoc and Other Tales, published in Other Hands Magazine Issue 31/32 Supplement (PDF)