Miraica - The Seaweed Woman
Miraica was a creature of Wallingwish Sailor Folklore. Known as the Lady of Seaweed, the Miraica was recalled for her tendency to wish to live along with the land folk, but would be stuck having her soul bound to sea so her body could never meet the land. This was the explanation for mounds of seaweed that would appear on the beaches of the Wallingwish Islands. She was associated with the idea of separation of land and sea.
Summary
The Miraica was essentially the soul of a lost woman at sea who wished to dwell with the people who lived there. It was a creation of the lonely Maclir, who wished to have his own bride like Amagus does. Thus, he took the soul of a woman drowned at sea and instilled it into a form of seaweed.
However, the soul of Miraica was that of a land dweller, and thus wanted to return to her home. She would constantly try to escape the ocean by asking upon sailors to take her to the shoreline. If she was lucky, she would only be able to make it to the beach before the seaweed body would fail and turn into a pile of seaweed.
Thus, Maclir would remake her body and try again to have her stay in his dwelling. Yet, she would never stay with him for long. Hence why many find seaweed mounds on the beaches as storms came upon the islands: it was Maclir's anger for her abandonment.
Historical Basis
According to the a Lord Bard of Port Royal, a Dwarf named Asli Bordock, theories about the soul of Miraica have come into question in the years. Many speculate some larger historical figures who went missing in the dangerous waters. However, in Asli's Tales and Folklore of Wallingwish, he notes that "the myth was mostly started around the time the Church of the All-Divine was introduced to these islands." Furthermore, he explains that "the Lady of Seaweed most likely was taken from the idea from Half-Orc idea that the dead souls of their wives, placed out into the sea in ships, would come back to them in the seaweed mounds." He explains the myth as an adaption of that, being associated instead with Maclir now. (He even notes that official church canon explains that Maclir has no wife!)
Some bards beg to differ. Elven Chronicler Yllara Sylvi has her own input on the legend. "The Seaweed Lady myth is more of an extension of Elven beliefs of the separation of Land and Sea more so than a soul transfer. The soul aspect of this myth causes confusion, and emphasis on that beat frankly misses the point of the story. The domains of Maclir and Brigid can never be together since these siblings betrayed each other. My opinion on the soul of Miraica, however? I find her to be an elven soul, turned into a mound of Maclir's vision of life as a reminder of his domain. And she wishes to go back to where he soul belongs, in the trees of her folk."
Still, some of the humans of the Wallingwish Islands believe the myth is real. Many sailors have attested to actually bringing Miraica to the land with their own eyes. "I don't care what 'em bards say," stated one human sailor, named William Jennings. "I picked her up one evening, and she cried to me once we hit the beach. I saw it with my eyes, and no chroniclers are gonna tell me otherwise!"
Spread
The myth is rather common knowledge to the people of the Wallingwish Islands, mostly because it is a tale told by sailors. Half-Orc sailors told it to humans, who became infatuated with the myth and began spreading it toward their contemporaries until the myth was officially accepted by the Church of the All-Divine.
Cultural Reception
The Miraica myth is treated like a fairy tale for children, and some regions of the islands even celebrate seaweed in extension of the worship of Maclir. Artwork and sculptures of Miraica are most commonly found in Carallinia, where the myth is most popular.
Date of Setting
Supposedly rather soon after the creation of the universe, when Maclir was betrayed by his sister Brigid.
Related People
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I like how there are multiple perspectives on this myth discussed, it helps it feel like it's actually a myth that people think and talk about.
I did notice a small error in the Cultural Reception section: "The Miraica myth It is treated like a fairy tale for children" should probably be "The Miraica myth is treated like a fairy tale for children".
Perhaps on the sidebar, you could include a picture of these seaweed mounds, maybe even an artist's rendition of what Miraica looks like? I feel like that could really sell that this myth is genuinely part of the world.
All in all, an interesting read. Well done!