Taneroa the Gate of the Dead

And lo, she beheld the Gate of Ancient Bone, called Taneroa by some. It was upon an immense dais rising over the dense and ancient forest. Red Talon felt a moment of fear at the sight of the ancient gate crafted by the God of the Death himself, Set. 
It was said that no mortal could pass through Taneroa without the guidance of Nyk. But Red Talon believed in the power of her divine protector and climbed the dais. The gate's immense bones shimmered in the moonlight, and beyond it she thought she could see something moving. Was it the restless dead, or the ancient guardian that she had faced a lifetime before? A guardian that only relented when they struck each other down.

- From Red Talon in the Underworld 

Summary

The name Taneroa is only mentioned in one chapter of the Book of the Shield: Red Talon in the Underworld. In that section Red Talon sails upon the The Sea of Dread as part of a crew of rowdy adventurers. After an encounter with a giant living statue of bronze that nearly destroys them, the ship flees south and crosses the Veil. Her closest companion, a man called Mokis, went mad and tried to slay the entire crew. Mokis was massively strong and it took all of Red Talon's cunning to defeat him... but he perished. With the ship safely past the veil, Red Talon vowed to go to the Underworld and bring Mokis back to the world of the living.
The ship had several adventures including a place where the sea turned into steam and fire. There they lost many more crew, and it is said that the great hero Orann lost his life among the magma stones there. Then he voyage became stormy and foggy. The ship was lost for a long time. Food and water started to run out and the crew tried to rebel. But Red Talon stepped forward and quelled their anger. Just then a monstrous beast erupted from the waves and each head took a sailor into its maw, screaming to her for help. She prayed to Ashtyr to grant them safe passage to the gate Taneroa. The Great Goddess spoke to Ravani, and the sea god calmed the waters and forced the multi-headed beast beneatht he restless Sea of Dread.
Within a day they caught sight of another reef. They traveled there hoping to find food and fresh water. "Instead they found only those who, filled with fear, rebelled against Nyk and so were lost upon the reef. More crew died and the ship narrowly escaped.
The only hope was to continue south, and in four days time they came in sight of a huge mass of dense forested lands filled with fruit trees and amazing beasts that only Zov knows of. The remaining crew celebrated and gathered the fruits, fished and found fresh water. But too soon the gates of Taneroa called to Red Talon. Heeding their call, she entered the ancient forest of Kor. She faced many perils but came to the great stone dias and upon it the gates of bone - called Taneroa.
She hesitated a moment and then entered them, facing the horrible guardian within. The guardian is not well described. It is only called a spawn of Chaos that caused even Yeno to tremble in fear before it. Red Talon was able to resist its attacks, but realized she couldn't defeat it through brute strength. So she pretended to fall under its spell and when she was close enough blinded the creature. She was able to sneak past and into the Underworld. Eventually she finds Mokis lost in the Spires of Living Stone. They face Set himself and outmaneuver the god. They return to the surface of Cadash, and find that they have been gone for decades. Her crew created a village before the forest with a massive wooden wall protecting them from the bizarre creatures in the forest. The grandchildren of her crew rejoice to see the hero and her companion return to the land of the living.

Variations & Mutation

This version of Red Talon is often referred to as "The Dread Talon". In many other versions of the tale, she is clearly a pirate and her and Mokis rob ships and villages for fun. Many times Mokis is portrayed as her lover, but some variants say he is a brother or father to her. 
This version of Red Talon is also unusual because her hair is always described as black. Most tales either don't mention her hair color, or if they do, say only that it is some shade of Red. This detail causes some to believe that the tale is not of an actual avatar of Ashtyr but someone pretending to be one, and succeeding. Or a tale of a female trickster (or Emid in disguise) that somehow became connected to the Book of the Shield.

Cultural Reception

The story of Red Talon in the underworld is very popular, especially among the poor and less respectable members of society. Red Talon as a pirate and having all kinds of adventures (some of them quite bawdy at times) makes her more approachable and real. Risking everything for a friend (or lover or family member) makes her relatable to just about everyone. Plus the story is filled with high adventure and bizarre monsters. Always a treat to hear.