All Known Talisman Locations in FROM Explained

FROM has granted mysterious rune-like totems that repel the Creatures of the night to the town citizens. These talismans, however, work only in enclosed spaces that are tightly shut, rendering them useless on the streets. Initially, it was assumed that these talismans would only work inside houses, but Season 1 disproved this by Matthews’ overturned RV acting as a makeshift enclosed location for them to work.

If even a single part of the space is opened, the creatures can invade and wreak havoc on the people inside the entire location. The talismans are usually placed at the entrances of the location, acting as a repellent for the whole space.

The talisman has runes engraved on it, but FROM has decidedly not elaborated on its origins or why it has “magical” protective abilities. After Boyd’s discovery of them, we explain the various known talisman locations in FROM.

Detail	Information
Show title	FROM
Creator	John Griffin
Genre	Science fiction horror
Platform	MGM+ in the U.S.
Main cast	Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Bailey, David Alpay, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott McCord, Ricky He, Chloe Van Landschoot

1 Talisman Cave

The Talisman Cave is located in the forest where Boyd first stumbled upon the talismans in a flashback sequence. While seeking shelter inside the cave, Boyd notices that the creatures do not come in, deducing that the talismans are the reason why. This location is the furthest known place where the creatures cannot enter, making it a guaranteed safe spot used by Boyd.

Given that there is no origin story as of yet for what this location entails, one of the biggest mysteries of the town will likely be solved here. The talismans coming from this cave indicate the possibility of more runes being identified in the future.

2 Township Houses

After Boyd brings the talismans back from the tomb, at least one of them is placed at every house in the town. They are nailed beside the front doors and main entrances, preventing entry for the creatures if all entry points are closed. The first episode of FROM shows an example of this rule being broken in the most brutal way. Survival is dependent on hanging these talismans on every house, ensuring the people are inside before nightfall.

Township houses are always on the brink of being broken into, making it a s**cide mission for anyone who takes the talismans off. There is no official count for the talismans, leaving the folks terrified in their residences at all times.

3 Sheriff’s Station

Sheriff Boyd’s station inside the town is the headquarters for him and Deputy Kenny Liu. With a makeshift holding cell and office space, Boyd stays here at night, safely protected by a talisman, along with any person he imprisons in the cell. The Sheriff’s station used to be a post office, but Boyd converted it into his quarters after assuming leadership duties.

Boyd’s station is where a chunk of brainstorming happens with a select group of people. What will happen in the event that Sophia breaks into this station for her nefarious activities?

4 Colony House

Colony House is a big building that houses many of the residents of FROM. Acting as a self-sustaining community, the talisman is placed at the front door and is even used inside the foyer. During the Colony House attack, this smaller inner space manages to ward off the creatures despite the rest of the house being attacked.

Colony House represents the coming together of a diverse group of people under one roof. The chances that talismans won’t always be able to protect this group are high. The ratio of one talisman to many people in the house keeps the group on high alert, especially after the attack.

5 Grand Rapids Runner Bus

Home to the exiled Randall, Donna sets him up in an abandoned Grand Rapids Runner bus to live in. By hanging a talisman on a window inside the bus, this new enclosed space keeps the creatures at bay while Randall sleeps at night. This bus is used later as an emergency shelter, reinforcing the idea of talismans securing any sealed place.

Acting as a pseudo place of exile, the bus is located at a prime spot inside the town. Others will likely commit sins due to The Man in Yellow, so we can expect more people to accompany Randall.

6 Bar

What was once a gas station has been converted into a bar by the resident, Tom. The FROM citizen utilizes a distillery to produce a crude potato vodka of poor quality. The Bar has housed many grieving and sad victims, including Jade, who refines the distillery. Given that many pass out after drinking, a talisman is placed for their protection.

The bar is one of the remnants of normalcy, acting as a distraction for the townsfolk. When further horrifying events take place, this location can be a safe haven for people to drink their problems away.

7 Diner

A communal place for people to feel like things are normal, the Diner regularly hosts the people of the town for meals. The town’s food supplies are stored here while holding many of the deceased’s belongings. The Diner has acted as an emergency safe location, even if nobody sleeps there at night.

Many of the town’s gatherings have taken place here, acting as a middle ground for debate. What secrets does the storage area hold that’ll give them more clues about the talismans and the town’s history?

8 Barn

The location where FROM’s Season 4 horrific scene of Jim’s dead body was displayed for the town to see is the Barn. Located at the edge of town, the Barn is where many of the sheep are herded. During a scary episode in Season 3 where the creatures begin to unlock the gates of the sheep, Boyd puts up a talisman, but unfortunately, the monsters were already inside.

Including the talisman in the barn marks for an important message: any location in the town can be used as a sanctuary if enclosed tightly. The barn has multiple weak spots should a tree come crashing in. In case of an emergency, this location can be used as a last resort.

9 Church

The Church has seen many visitors frequent it during times of questionable faith and death. The main floor is where Father Rudra Khatri delivers sermons, while the basement is used for storage. Sara Myers was kept hidden in the church basement after her crimes while Father Rudra was still alive. Boyd has also safely spent a night here.

The talisman in the church symbolizes much more than safety. We don’t know the origins of the safe runes, but can we assume that there will be a religious subtext to the sinister forces that are kept at bay? Sophia’s constant recital of the Bible seems to indicate so.

10 Clinic

The Clinic is the town’s designated hospital where the injured are treated. A school building was converted into this medical house where Kristi Miller acts as the town’s doctor. Many patients have stayed at the clinic overnight while recovering from different ailments. A talisman protects them at night, and we’ve seen creatures stop right in front of the clinic without getting in.

The clinic’s talisman carries significant weight as the clinic is often used for existing citizens and newcomers. A place of life or death needs safety during nightfall with a strict lockdown of all entrances.

11 Matthews’ RV

We were first introduced to the talismans when the Matthews’ family RV was overturned in an accident. As it lay overturned, Boyd hung a talisman on the interior wall and covered the shattered windows with a blanket. Acting as a makeshift enclosed space, the Matthews’ family, along with Boyd and Kristi, are unfortunately stranded inside during their first night inside FROM.

Thankfully, this works, making it a turning point for Boyd’s adventures to solve the mysteries. The Matthews’ RV scene remains a significant moment in FROM, and is used once again as a fallback safe house. Julie’s travelling back in time to her arrival once again highlights the juxtaposed open areas versus the safe enclosures.

12 Shack

An abandoned shack at the end of the town is largely unused but remains as a place for temporary shelter. Fatima and Ellis stay in this shack after she kills Tillie, with Boyd leaving them a talisman for protection. The shack acts as a place of exile, with Frank Pratt being offered this location by Boyd after his crimes.

The shack was safely used during Fatima’s pregnancy, but what confounded everyone was that a creature existed inside her. Will we see more of this if the creatures manage to infiltrate the place through a baby?

13 Forest Tent

During Boyd and Sara’s adventure into the forest, they pitch a small tent with a talisman hanging. At night, this manages to keep the creatures off successfully despite the tent being dragged and shaken up. Arguably the most dangerous and unconventional talisman location, this makeshift enclosure manages to keep the two safe as there is no opening for the monsters to make their way in, proving Boyd’s theory that any enclosed space would work.

The test of the tent is one of the few proven theories that can help solve the mystery. During adventures, the townsfolk can now travel far into the forest as long as they are able to create these tent enclosures. From experience, they’ll now know to bolt down the tents to prevent their relocation.

14 Boyd’s Portable Talisman

Sheriff Boyd always carries a portable talisman with him in case of emergencies. The town sheriff needs to do so, given the impossible burden of taking care of anyone in danger. He has used this talisman multiple times to save people in need. During deeper forest adventures, he utilizes this as a tool during nightfall. Carrying it on him at all times is a stark reminder of the town’s evil forces.

The flexibility of carrying this talisman creates a problem for Boyd. He needs to constantly be on the lookout for a chance to create enclosures at the last minute if needed. The limitations and limited knowledge of these talismans create an issue for anyone carrying them around.

Multiple fans have speculated about the runes on the talisman, and a Reddit thread highlights that the symbols are Norse in nature. Runes are often depicted in mythology as symbols of magical protection. Are the forces of FROM those of Norse beings?

Here is a summary of all the locations.

#LocationWho Lives/Stays There

1	Talisman Cave	No permanent residents; used by Boyd and townsfolk as forest shelter
2	Township Houses	General town residents
3	Sheriff’s Station	Sheriff Boyd and Deputy Kenny Liu; also holds prisoners overnight
4	Colony House	Many of the town’s residents as a communal living space
5	Grand Rapids Runner Bus	Randall (exiled); later used as emergency shelter
6	Bar	No permanent residents; Tom runs it; Jade and others visit
7	Diner	No permanent residents; communal meals and emergency safe haven
8	Barn	No residents; used to herd sheep; located at the edge of town
9	Church	Father Rudra Khatri; Sara Myers was hidden in the basement
10	Clinic	Kristi Miller (town doctor); overnight patients
11	Matthews’ RV	The Matthews family; makeshift shelter after accident
12	Shack	Fatima and Ellis (temporary exile); later offered to Frank Pratt
13	Forest Tent	Boyd and Sara (temporary, during forest adventure)
14	Boyd’s Portable Talisman	Carried by Sheriff Boyd; used for on-the-go protection

Across all the locations, the only rule that the town seems to have cracked is how to use the talisman to ward off evil. If there is no entry point for the monsters, then a hanging talisman at the entrance of any enclosed space works: a house, a room, or even a tent. Here are some frequently asked questions about these talismans.

What do you think the talismans are? Let us know in the comments.

FROM is streaming on MGM+.