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The Jolly Roger is the name given to any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates.[1] The flag most usually identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by several pirates, including Captains Edward England and John Taylor.[2] Some Jolly Roger flags also include an hourglass, another common symbol representing death in 17th and 18th Century Europe. Despite its prominence in popular culture, plain black flags were often employed by most pirates in the 17th-18th century.[3] Historically, the flag was flown to frighten pirates' victims into surrendering without a fight, since it conveyed the message that the attackers were outlaws who would not consider themselves bound by the usual rules of engagement—and might, therefore, slaughter those they defeated (since captured pirates were usually hanged, they didn't have much to gain by asking quarter if defeated). The same message was sometimes conveyed by a red flag, as discussed below.

Since the decline of piracy, various military units have used the Jolly Roger, usually in skull-and-crossbones design, as a unit identification insignia or a victory flag to ascribe to themselves the proverbial ferocity and toughness of pirates.

In a non-naval context the Skull and crossbones motif has additional meanings, for example, to signify a hazard such as poison.

The gallery below showing pirate flags in use from 1693 (Thomas Tew's) to 1724 (Edward Low's) appears in multiple extant works on the history of piracy.[20] All the secondary sources cited in the gallery below are in agreement except as to the background color of Every's flag.


A pirate flag used by Edward Low.


A Pirate flag often called the "Jolly Roger." This flag is usually attributed to Blackbeard.


Although referred to as "John Quelch" flag, in fact it is closer to description of Pirate flag of John Phillips


Walter Kennedy's Jolly Roger ensign (which was identical to the flag of Jean Thomas Dulaien).


Roberts' first flag shows him and Death holding an hourglass.


Roberts' new flag showed him standing on two skulls, representing the heads of a Barbadian and a Martinican.[


Jolly Roger flown by Calico Jack Rackham.


Flag flown by "Black Sam" Bellamy[26] and Edward England's mainmast flag.


Traditional depiction of Stede Bonnet's flag.


Flag of pirate Christopher Condent.


Popular version of Henry Every's Jolly Roger. Reportedly, Every also flew a version with a black background.


Black Version of Henry Every Flag.


Flag of Christopher Moody.


Possible flag of Thomas Tew.


Richard Worley's flag.


Emanuel Wynn's flag.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolly_Roger


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So, I just wanted to share that bit of info for you. You should start seeing these flying all over the place in eRep. We are coming for you. You can surrender or die.

-Alexander_Auctoritas

“Even if I wanted to rejoin the human race, I wouldn’t know how.”