Wraiths

"Wraith - Etymology and meaning. The word 'wraith,' marked by the OED as being 'of obscure origin,' is first attested in 1513, with the meaning of 'ghost' or 'spectre' (that is, an apparition of a living or once-living being, possibly as a portent of death). In 18th century Scotland it was applied to water spirits, and in England it became used in a metaphoric sense to refer to wraith-like things, and to portents in general. The word may be of Scottish origin, possibly through Old Norse ..."  Online Encyclopedia