Who is Kahlan Amnall from Wizard's First Rule and what is their importance?

Kahlan is a beautiful, elegant, strong young woman whom Richard meets in the forest. She has long, lush, shining brown hair, graceful eyebrows and intelligent green eyes. Her clothes are unusual for a hike in the woods — a beautifully simple white dress and handsome but practical boots. Richard helps save her from a quad of four assassins who are chasing her. Richard does not realize that Kahlan is a Confessor, a magical creature with the supernatural power of destroying anyone's free will with a mere touch. What the Mord-Siths accomplish with torture and pain, Kahlan accomplishes with pure love. This has a downside, however. A Confessor can never maintain control of her power during sex. Therefore, having sex with any man she loves or respects destroys him forever. Kahlan is attracted to Richard but not willing to turn him into her emotional slave. Fortunately, she does not have to make that choice.