There is a world (Líker) that holds four races: Noch' Kryl'yá, Surin, Manetkí, and one which I need much help with.

The Noch' Kryl'ya are vaguely based off vampires and elves. They are the scientific race and the most intelligent. They would also be the planet's aristocrats. They have no powers beyond intelligence and talent with the sword and, occasionally, with the bow. They are also winged.

The Surin are based from the legends of sirens and banshees. This race is almost pacifistic, but will fight back if pushed long enough. They can phase in and out and can harness the weather-specifically the wind and storms. the Surin care for the crops and animals; they are the husbandmen of the planet.

The Manetki are the working class. All are women, and they can shapeshift to wolves and back, based on the legends of werewolves. This race does anything not done by the two races before it.

All races are highly intelligent, but the Noch' Kryl'yá use it the most in science. All are also warriors, although the Noch' Kryl'yá once again lead. All are also functionally immortal, only dying through injury.

My fourth race is going to be the enemy of the other three. They will be a pirate race, akin to the Vikings. They will live aboard the ships and stay on the water.

I'm at a loss for the fourth race. It can not be humans as this is actually set in a time parallel to Earth History in the past. Another long story... any suggestions are welcome!

Weapons, appearance, culture, food, history, names, peculiarities, types of ships, etc...

I appreciate any and all answers you may have, and feel free to comment on the other races. They are depressingly far from clomplete as well...

For a "pirate" race, my first thoughts lean away from seafaring toward seadwelling. My first idea was "mermen!" but that's probably too close to your "siren" background for one of your first three. But then I thought: what about a race of sentient octopi?

!

That's where I started: seadwelling creatures. But then I figured out that essentially theonly ones I could rework would either be Selkies, Sirens, or Mermen-and all of those are either in another book, or are too close to one of my other races. But mermen would be so fun...! Maybe I'll just make them tailess and stick them on a ship...

Sentient octopi...*laughs* That is exactly what my brother suggested!!

My question how would they fight? Why would they want to fight? They have an entire ocean, why would they want to attack a much smaller piece of land that they can't even live on?

I apologize, i tend to play the devil's advocate in reasoning.

Also, addition: The pirate race will not be immortal. They will have extended longevity-probably around a couple of millenia-but they will age and die, and they will be able to get sick.

What about something that lives on the surface of the water, like a Portuguese man o' war? (Not necessarily something that looks like those, though that could be an interesting race!)

Yeah, me too. It helps to iron out all the kinks in an idea.

Wow. first i thought you were talking about a ship itself, but that didn't make any sense, so I went and looked up what you were talking about -and wow! They would definitely make very good villains! Maybe an enemy for the enemy at least... Very interesting race.



Saves time later. *grins*

I have several thoughts. First, that they might be being pushed out of their natural habitat by something stronger and more fearsome than they.
Second, perhaps in retaliation for some perceived offense by the surface-dwellers against them. Thirdd, a general unwillingness to let anyone or anything be free of their rule. (That thought actually came first, and was why I made the initial suggestion; it's partly influenced by the Charles Williams play "The House of the Octopus," which I finally got to read when we got a book containing it for Christmas last year.) Fourth, you could make a race of cephalopods that can live on land if needed, but prefer not to. And fifth, perhaps there's some resource that they need or otherwise prize that either is only found (or grown) on land or can no longer (due to overfishing, or whatever) be produced (in sufficient quantities) under the sea.

Percieved offense...That makes sense. Also the idea of a prized resource. Thanks! I might be able to move on with my story now!!!

Why not base them off sharks? If not that you could take a note from Norse mythology and base them off Ettans, you also seem to have a strong Celtic or fey influence so looking at the Unseelie fey like goblins, or the ancient Fomorians might be a good idea. If you realy want to get crazy and want the race to be prominently evil but still redeemable you might look at Naga from Indian folklore, or Ifrit from Islamic folklore. You could also go Greek and look at cyclops.