Sentenced to be hanged the following morning, Richard Makepeace effect a brilliant escape, only to discover with his new freedom comes an obligation to chance his wicked behavior. His flight to escape the Law turns into a spiritual journey, while he is constantly tempted to return to his old life. His story is balanced against that of Esakka, a slave who wants only to save up enough money to buy his freedom from his owner, and to keep his virginity until he meets the right woman. Haunting both men is MacDuff, a crazed Englishman who wears a dead raven in his pigtail.