by Wally Monk originally published 01 June 2024
What is a “Talismanaeum” (pronounced tal-iss-man-EH-um)?
The Talismanaeum is an online curated collection, coupled with a collector and player’s blog, focusing primarily on the Talisman board game by Games Workshop and other vintage Games Workshop board games and (fantasy) miniatures. My hope is for it to become a genuine resource for those who want to learn more about these enjoyable pastimes!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a creative streak a mile wide and have always had an active imagination. Likely, you spent your childhood playing Dungeons & Dragons or enjoying Star Trek in one of its many incarnations. Maybe you even enjoyed playing “make-believe” as a kid, running through the backyard playing cops and robbers, or imitating super or fantastical heroes.
As an adult these days who can’t afford to be childish or even child-like, I still find that I enjoy the more creative aspects of life and my imagination hasn’t yet gone stagnant. Enter the Talismanaeum, my home away from home on the web, where I hope to share with like-minded hobby enthusiasts my love for vintage board games, with Talisman in particular and other games by Games Workshop in general. The name Talismanaeum was inspired by the Lycaeum location in the original Ultima computer game series.
In those games, the Lycaeum, according to the Ultima wiki was “The world’s greatest storehouse of knowledge and wisdom is contained within the walls that form the Lycaeum. Poised upon the northwestern slopes of Verity Isle, the Lycaeum’s libraries, laboratories and academies of learning are a haven for the seeker of Truth. Four times each year the Inner Circle of Mages congregates within the labyrinthine chambers to exchange esoteric secrets. Whilst in the area, do not fail to visit the observatory where astronomers create many fine lenses through which to view the heavens.” For my purposes, the Talismanaeum aspires to be a similar resource for the Talisman boardgame and vintage GW games in general.
Talisman has always had a universal appeal to me. The first time I was introduced to the game in the late 1980s, it was the 2nd Edition and I was intrigued by what appeared to me as the perfect cross between fantasy role-playing and Monopoly. Now, 40 years later, I have begun collecting everything Talisman that I can find. I’ve even delved into some of Games Workshop’s other vintage board games, with other favorites being Kings and Things and The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.
Long story short? This is my blog. It’s my place to show you the hobby treasures I’ve collected, and maybe my stories of collecting. Please comment on the blog, share your thoughts, and let me know if you’re a collector too. Maybe you have a blog of your own you’d like to share, I’d be happy to add links to other Talisman sites.
Please enjoy taking a look at Talisman with me. It’s a really neat game, in all of its many editions.
As always, I am –
Wally (AKA The Paint Monk)