Oba Rahl

Oba Rahl is a half-brother of Richard Rahl introduced in The Pillars of Creation. When very young his mother took Oba and fled the Peoples Palace went into hiding from Darken Rahl. Since Oba was ungifted, Darken Rahl considered Oba and his kind to be a threat to the world of magic.

Oba eventually learns his heritage from a potion-maker named Lathea, who is Althea's sister, before he kills her. Oba is ungifted and, furthermore, not affected by magic. Oba is large and very strong. Oba feels that he is indestructible, mostly because he is guided and protected by a voice in his head (The Keeper). He believes that his mother and Lathea were purposely trying to keep him from his inheritance, the D'Haran Empire, as well as trying to kill him.

After killing his mother, Oba sets out to claim his inheritance and finds that it is already under the reign of Richard Rahl. Oba encounters Richard Rahl and his wife Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor. Rather than kill Richard immediately, Oba is ordered by the Keeper to kidnap Kahlan and take the Sword of Truth.

Using his link with the sword, Richard pursues Oba to the Pillars of Creation, where Richard encounters Jennsen Rahl, his half-sister who is also ungifted and immune to magic. Jennsen was going to kill Richard's wife because she had been taught by Jagang that the Mother Confessor was evil. The Keeper's plan was for Richard to kill Jennsen at the Pillars of Creation and open a gate between the Keeper's realm and the real world. However, Richard and Jennsen recognize the goodness in one another and the plan is foiled.

Oba is killed when massive stones fall upon him and slowly suffocate him.