The Lymond Chronicles follow the exploits of Francis Crawford of Lymond, younger son of a mid-16th-century Scottish noble family. When we first meet him, Lymond (as most call him) has just returned to his homeland, despite having been declared an outlaw and excommunicate. He is an autodidact and a polyglot, with a broad knowledge of literature and philosophy, a talented musician and master of disguise, and an expert swordsman, archer, and military strategist. Using these talents, he inserts himself and his band of mercenaries into the border war between England and Scotland — though on whose side, other than his own, it's difficult to tell. He always has plans in motion, but their purpose is not clear until the end of the first book, when we learn more of his history and his true loyalties