Legend The Flying Dutchman A ship doomed to sail forever and never make port, seen glowing on the horizon in stormy weather. Sailors have been telling this one for more than two hundred years, and it has never once gotten less good.
Legend Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea, where drowned sailors and sunken ships go. Who Davy Jones was, nobody can say. Where his locker is, everybody knows: straight down.
Real, and still spooky St. Elmo's fire A blue-white glow that crackles at the tops of masts in a thunderstorm. It is a weather phenomenon, and it is completely harmless to see, and imagine seeing it at midnight in 1715 anyway.
Tradition Cursed treasure Every good pirate story has gold that should not have been taken. Every good pirate takes it anyway. That is called a plot.
Mild The pirate Hat, coat, boots. No modifications. Already spooky, because there is a skull on your flag.
Medium The ghost pirate The pirate, but pale, a bit see-through and very dramatic about the sea. Rattle a chain if you have one.
Hot The skeleton crew All bones, still wearing the hat. Treat the fact that you are a skeleton as a minor inconvenience that does not stop you doing a shanty.
Extra hot The sea itself Come as Davy Jones' locker. We do not know what this looks like. We would love to find out.