In the television series, she sometimes wears a green dress, and later a brown and black one, that she uses as traveling clothing. A woman of true grace and beauty, she has green eyes (blue in the television series), long brown hair (dark brown or black in the television series), and typically wears a flowing white dress when acting as the Mother Confessor. Kahlan Amnell is the Mother Confessor and the last living Confessor after Darken Rahl hunted all the others down. Richard is known in many prophecies, but in one prophecy he is mentioned as the bringer of death, but he is a war wizard and is the only living war wizard in the world, although he cannot be fully specialized at the same time Richard is in love with Kahlan Amnell and sees her as the only reason he lives. In Debt of the Bones, it is revealed that he got his gray eyes from his mother, and it has been quoted by several women in the books that he is the most handsome man they have ever seen. Richard is described as having gray eyes (brown in the television series), a piercing raptor-like gaze, dark hair, and a tall, muscular form. He reads the Journal of Kolo to understand and learn this language.
Throughout the series, he also grows and learns a lot of High D'Haran (the language of ancient D'Hara). Over the course of the series, he learns more about his heritage and his gift, facilitating his role as the Seeker of Truth and the master of D'Hara. He is friends with First Wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander. He grew up as a woods guide in Westland, leading travelers safely through the Hartland forests, and spent most of his life in the woods so that he would know all the plants by name or by sight. He has five known siblings: three half-brothers, one stepbrother, and one half-sister. He learns that his real father is named Darken Rahl (in the television series, Darken Rahl is Richard's brother). Richard Rahl is introduced to the series as Richard Cypher, the adopted son of George Cypher and the younger stepbrother of Michael Cypher.