Talisman

The Talisman is a heirloom of the Ritter family for generations, a symbol of power of the Schattenjäger and an item in Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, The Beast Within and Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.

Its surface displays a lion that defies a menacing snake that attempts to constrict him; the lion obviously symbolizes the Ritters, and the snake the forces of evil. It is considered to have supernatural powers (although it could also be used for evil purposes).

Background
The origin and the exact age of the Talisman has be lost to time, although one legend says that St. George himself gave it to the ancestors of the Ritters. Its sacred power was used for protection as it could ward off evil, and heal.

Gunter Ritter was wearing the Talisman for protection when he came from Germany to Charleston, in 1896. At first the Talisman protected him when the Voodoo priestess Tetelo attempted o kill him, and it brought her back to her senses.

Later he attempted to use its powers to protect her as she was invoking the dark gods of her tribe to curse the colonists who burned her at the stake. The combined forces made Tetelo a supernatural creature of evil, who took the Talisman from Gunter.

The loss of the Talisman marked a period of decline for the Schattenjäger, while Tetelo used it for her own ends. With it she organized the slave revolt in Haiti and her family gained power and influence in New Orleans. When she died, the Talisman was buried with her in the ancient snake mound of the People's Republic of Benin. Her descendants became the powerful Gedde family.

Sins of the Fathers
Since the loss of the Talisman every member of the Ritter family has had nightmares about it in some form.

With information from Gabriel Knight, Wolfgang Ritter located Tetelo's resting place and the Talisman was reclaimed by him and Gabriel. When Gabriel discovered the New Orleans Hounfour, he used the Talisman to heal Grace from her coma. It used it in the final confrontation with Dr. John and Tetelo, who wanted it back. Instead, he threw it to Franklin Mosely to protect him and Grace as they escaped.

Beast Within
Gabriel uses the Talisman to ward off werewolves.

Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
In a vision at the end of the game, it is revealed that the gold the Talisman is made of was the Hilt of a Roman Soldier's sword.

This soldier was among those nailing Jesus to the cross. He repented upon realising what he had done, begging Jesus to forgive him. When told that he already was forgiven, the soldier offered to help Jesus's family in any way possible, to which Jesus replied that he might need the help of one of the soldier's descendants. He kissed the hilt of the soldier's sword, turning it to gold.

This gold was supposedly later forged into the current shape of the talisman.