Alexei Sukulov

Father feels very forceful about Alexeis future, essentially choosing much of what Alexei will do with his life.

Alexie has originally intended for life as a monk or scholar, and even after life points him a different direction, he finds solace in church. Initially fearful of many thing, weak willed.

Mikhail, Alexeis brother and a dragonrider, dies in combat with Western Thesians, but the dragon, Chernobog, lives on. Normally a dragon will cease to exist after its rider dies, but Chernobog, a manifestation of Mikhails sheer will, continues to live. Alexei has to deal with this manifestation of his brother, in a  way dealing with his own brother, who always brushed Alexei aside, by taking up the mantle of his family, as a House Sukulov Dread lord of the Grand Duke

Alexei manages to get comfortable with Cherny, only for Chernys status to deteriorate and teh dragon loses control, essentially becoming feral with Alexei still atop him. Chern flies off to a remote cave, where Alexie stays for a week, barely surviving and trying to survive this insane dragon. The dragon finally expires, with Alexie having realized the creature is scared, and stays with teh creature until it passes. Alexie later goes through his own ritual (which involves spilling the blood of teh intended rider, and a series of other ingredients, at a selected spot of the House where magma pours fourth. The ingredients and ritual cause the birth of a dragon, which is essentially a more emotionally balanced Chernobog, with teh addition of a more stronger willed Alexei