There are 4 Talismans in the game. Early in the game the Prophetess cast Shatter on a Talisman to get rid of a spell.

Then the Monk had two Talismans and turned one of them to gold with the Alchemist.

The Monk and the Prophetess each had a Talisman.

What happens to the Talisman that was turned to gold and the Talisman that was Shattered? Are they gone from the game or does the 4 Talisman Cards represent the maxium number of Talismans in the game?

This turned into a big argument. I said that the game had 4 talismans represented the maximum in the game. My argument was that I could be getting slaughtered in the game and 3 Talismans were already out of the game and I find the last one and run to the City and turn the last on to gold and no one could win. Or I could find all the Talismans and turn them all to gold and hide the last one in the Concealed Pouch and if would be very hard to lose the game.

Thanks,

Freybourne

There are Talismans in the Adventure and Dungeon decks (as well as Treasure).

"Talisman and Purchase Cards are treated in all respects like
Adventure Cards, except that instead of being placed on a
discard pile when not needed, they are instead returned to
their appropriate deck and are available to other characters
once more." (p. 16)

So when you have a Purple Talisman and it is discarded or alchemied, it goes back to the Purple Talisman "deck" (of 4 Talismans). I have seen that deck be empty though, so you might be given a Talisman (say at Temple), but can't take a Talisman because all 4 are in play. Tough noogies ! Then you need to go and take a Talisman from another character.