All I ask for and from the future in the Sea of Thieves is to captain a skeletal crew and to steer a spooky, nefarious vessel made of rotten wood with tattered and discoloured sails!
When we'd spot any other unfortunate sloops or galleons we'd be sailing towards them and while engaging, we'd be using the upcoming loudspeaker to loudly blast:
Spooky Scary Skeletons! [SFM Music Video]
Whether you implement them as polymorphs (using a special concoction, a permanent costume item (overwrites or alters your base appearance) or as a few select items which closely simulate such a visage, for instance, you replace your pegleg and hook slots with a skeletal foot and a skeletal arm, and your face/head with that of a skull. Allowing the skull to still use beards and hairstyles would also provide more means to stand our/remain unique. - I want it, I'll grind for it or I'll buy it!
Temporary skeletal appearances can be implemented during a Halloween event where everyone can drink a potion at an outpost in the Order of Souls tent, whereas cosmetic items, clothes, limb replacements and weaponry can be sold at Vendors, obtained through event activities and purchased from the Microtransaction store. A permanent polymorph could be obtained by the more dedicated/interested or monetarily committed.
The Sea of Thieves is a mythical sea, filled with creatures and horrors of myth, ancient curses and overflowing with magic overall - let us embody some of these elements, the Pirate fantasy stretches far and wide - for me, it'd be the opportunity to become a LeChuck like figure, a skeletal pirate captaining a ghastly vessel akin to the Ferryman's Ferry of the Damned. You might think it to be odd that skeletal pirates would be sailing towards islands and forts manned by other skeletons in order to engage them, but I'd say that it isn't - their captains and sentient crew all retain motivations; grudges and desires. Pirates will steal, fight and lie towards each other be they alive or undead.
There's no need for villainous AI/NPCs on the seas, there are individuals amongst the player base who would be all too pleased to fill in such a role themselves!
// Gloombeard, Captain of The Wailing Banshee.
