Here is a "theory of" post in regards to an alternative rules we've established as a gaming group in regards to a possible 7-player game, however due to never having that many players crop up at the same time despite having twelve players, we have yet to attempt this home-brew idea ourselves. Nonetheless, I'd like to share it here as a potential proof of concept and I'd be interested in hearing the opinions of other posters on the concept (sorry for the layout, but this bboard does not seem to like my cut-paste jobs very much):

The Game Master

• Game Master: In a seven player game, one player is the Game-Master; the game-master does the following actions during his/her turn:
  • General Upkeep
  • Keeps track of day/night event cycles and Harbinger/Omen effects
  • In charge of passing out all tokens and picking “random” cards out
  • Turn Order
  • Takes his/her turn at the end of all the players turns
  • Moves strangers/event cards which are supposed to move each turn
  • Moves the Harbinger (d6) and resolves any actions as per the card
  • If defeated, the Harbinger returns whenever an “event” card is draw
  • All cards drawn in a region the Harbinger is in are harbinger cards
  • Moves the Reaper (d6) and resolves any actions as per the card
  • Moves the Werewolf (d6) and resolves any actions as per the card
  • Moves the Toad King (1-space) and resolves any actions as per the card
  • The Harbinger, Reaper, Werewolf, and Toad King
  • These figures cannot encounter one-another
  • These figures cannot interact with tile spaces (i.e. cannot draw cards) and experience no effects from tiles spaces except for the following:
• Fireland Tokens: cause the figure to lose its next movement turn
• Teleport Places: cause the figure to roll to see where teleported to except the Toad King who teleports directly back to the Cursed Glade
• End Spaces: the end space of expansions; when reaching the end area of an expansion, the figure on that end space may teleport anyplace on the board as directed by the expansion area
• These figures may freely cross the Sentential without having to fight it except the Toad King whom must remain in the Middle Region
• These figures cannot cross the Portal of Power nor enter the Inner Realm
• These figures must automatically interact with any character they land on as directed by their card
• If one of these figures lands on a space containing a monster, they may “rally” the beast to their side (take the monster and place it on the character card). The next character this figure lands on will have to fight the rallied monster first before encountering that figures card effects! There is no limit to the amount of creatures a figure can rally. A rallied monster is discarded the turn it is used rather it wins or loses (as per a charmed monster)
• When a player loses a life from the Harbinger (Harbinger card or monster), the Reaper, the Werewolf, or a rallied monster card being used by these figures, instead of discarding their life, the player must give their life token to the GM! When the GM gets four life tokens, he wins the game, or if the last Omen card is taken, the GM wins!

I have been playing Talisman with 7+ players since the 80's. We use no special rules. 2nd or 4th edition. Then again I have had a game last all weekend for 2nd edition. Most 4th edition games last 12 hours. The Harbinger has changed that to 8 hours. We have regularly played 8 players.

Yeah, like domagb our group has played with 7-8 without changing anything. Usually in these games a lot of the players are new so it requires help from everyone knowledgeable of the game to keep it interesting and the flow continuous. What you describe almost sounds like you are turning it into a RPG.....which I would prefer to do as an RPG...GURPS, RIFTS, D&D......

I have already played Talisman with 8-10 Players, it is certainly possible. You just need the right crowd of people to do it, because it takes some time before it is your turn again. If you have people who aren't willing to treat the game as an adventure and/or engage in social activities while waiting for their turns, who just rather play with their smartphone or something, it's just meeee.

But if you do have the right crowd, it's one hell of an adventure, trust me on that one.

Thanks for the replies guys! I think the concept may have been slightly derailed towards something completely different than what it was meant to be, but that's alright because this is a discussion thread. I was a little surprised to find nobody commenting at all on the concept, however I feel the take away from this is that the majority of people replying here either don't like the idea of a Game Master, or conversely, enjoy larger games and don't see a need for a Game Master. Anyway, I appreciate all the replies and thank everyone for their opinions.