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[AntiAntiMatter]

..
So, what. The dwarves are the metaphysical equivalent of the undead? They only grow an aura when they -want- to die?

Follow the little fool. If nothing else, we can befriend it and throw it at monsters that would otherwise try to eat -us-.

You can tell a DF player by thier desire to use childeren as portable shields...

They aren't?

[Argonnek]

You run after him, dodging adults who don't give a second glance to either of you. Through corridors, over smooth floor and rough, you keep on and eventually he traps himself in the craftdwarf's workshop. Before you get to the door, you hear a click and slam right into it.
Apparently, you think to yourself as you rub your nose, these doors have very effective locks. Inside, you hear the sounds of chiseling, scraping, and other work-related knocks and clangs.
You focus your mind and see through the murk caused by the glassy black stone. The boy's aura is weak, but it's there. Why does he have an aura when no other dwarf does? Why did he lock himself in the workshop? What is he making? You sit and ponder these questions for a while.

A few minutes later, the little boy bursts out of the shop wielding a stone bracelet. "THIKUTLITAST!!" he bellows. He begins to dance for a moment, and you see that his aura is gone. His bracelet seems to shine unnaturally. He tosses the artifact back through the door and runs off. You are at a loss for words.

[AntiAntiMatter]

Take the mighty Thikutlitast and put it on.

[Nivim]

 It seems like the aura that was in the boy is now in bracelet, and since you did save the life of the boy and the aura, you should be able to claim the aura's new coil. Do so, and be ready for any horrors that occur.

[Urist McCheeseMaker]

Ahh.. so, that was a strange mood. Right after a suicide attempt? Lolwut?

The bracelet was abandoned and with any luck, nobody's looking for it yet. Put it on, and if anyone asks about it, just tell them you were taking it to the stockpile. Also, check your map. You're the closest idle "worker", so if anyone would get the job, it'd be you.

[Argonnek]

Since you did save the boy's life, you feel entitled to whatever it is he just made. You walk into the workshop and look around. You find the bracelet easily, and fit it over your left hand. Once it is in place, it shrinks and fits snugly against your wrist. You look at it closely, and see that it isn't just a shiny stone bracelet, it has images on it. It depicts a battle between humans and dwarves. Each of the faces is shown in extreme detail. The humans are all using medieval weaponry, and the dwarves are being pushed back into a network of caverns. The other adornments are less impressive. Some spikes protruding from the side, some leather bands on the inside for comfort, and some encrusting of steel on the image to accentuate the armor of the dwarves.

You force yourself to look away, despite the beauty of the craftsmanship. You look up from your wrist and see something in front of you. It is shining brightly and hovering above the floor. You're not sure, but you think it's growling at you. Or maybe it's talking, you really can't be sure.
You wait for a moment, and the light coalesces into a vaguely dwarven shape.
It speaks: "Why are you wearing this artifact?"

"I saved the boy's life, I feel I deserve it," you answer without hesitation.

"Why would you save a dwarf? You are human."

"Compassion? I don't know. I just felt like it."

The creature makes a noise that may have been a 'hmmm.'

[AntiAntiMatter]

Ask it why the dwarves lack auras.

[Urist McCheeseMaker]

Explain to it how we ended up depending on the dwarves, and getting used to them. Then, ask about the auras. And about the beast lurking below.

[Argonnek]

"I was lost in the caverns-" you begin.

"NO. I don't want to hear it. Human affairs bore me. I've been watching your civilizations rise and fall for centuries now. The story of any one human is too short. Did you have anything important to say?"

"Er... I guess I'm curious about why the dwarves don't have auras." This apparition makes you nervous.

"Eh? That's obvious. They aren't in full control of their own minds anymore. They follow the whims of their damn blood god. No respect for traditions."

"You mean Armok?"

"Yes, yes. That upstart. No respect for the gods of the mythical ages. None. Causes trouble." The apparition crosses its ghostly arms.

"Okay. Uh, what about the large thing deeper in the caverns? The one that projects such a strong aura."

"You are the worst shaman I've ever met." It puts its hands over its face.

"Right..." What a jerk. "So, how long will I be stuck with you?"

"Until you lose that flimsy arm of yours." It emits a strange gargling laugh.

You attempt to remove the bracelet, but it won't budge. It won't even slide up or down your wrist. It seems to be permanently attached to you. Your new "Friend" will be with you until you lose the bracelet, which means you'll need to have it cut off somehow.

[AntiAntiMatter]

Ask him what his name is.

EDIT:What Nivm said.

[Nivim]

 His name is Thikutlitast of course, and he's the one that possessed the child.
 "Anyway," tell it you're not a shaman, although you spoke with one not too long ago. Which reminds you, does it know anything about sending souls to the afterlife that failed to do so the normal way?

[Argonnek]

"I'm not a shaman."

It sighs. "Yes, yes you are. Just a different sort from the one in your head."

"How did you know about that?"

"Anyone with the sight will see it. They are discolorations in your aura, and will mark you as a target for certain types."

"A target?" You may have heard that wrong.

"Always with the questions! I'm sick of it!" He begins to disappear.

"WAIT! How do I get rid of them!?" He stops fading for a moment.

"You must find why they are staying."

"They're trapped. I... sort of ate them."

Though his face is as gaseous as the rest of him, you can see plainly the look of either horror or disgust he is giving.
"Ehhhh..."

"So, can you help me get rid of them?"

He vanishes.

After waiting for a moment, you become sure that he's gone for a while. You wonder what you should do now. Scratching you head, you decide to look around the fort. You wander the halls idly, passing through rooms and around corners.
At an intersection, one path becomes rough and stone-covered. Your curiosity piqued, you take that hall and predict that it is a mineshaft of some sort. You continue along with the pick marks on the walls. You wander the shafts for a while, and after a long time you see an alien blue luminescence that makes your head throb a little in the distance. Despite the pain, you continue closer.
You don't get close enough to see the source. You lay against a wall and fade into unconsciousness.

You are once again in the room of the goblins, but there is only the commander and the shaman left. They confront you.
"What are you doing?! My men are disappearing!" the commander screams into your face.

"What?" You can barely think. "I don't know. What's happening?" You put your arms over your head.

"The others. They are vanishing. You have something to do with it." The shaman, though quieter, is no kinder.

"I dunno. I was just walking toward this blue glow in the dwarves' mines." Every beat of your heart brings only more pain.

They look at each other. The shaman speaks, "Was the glow coming from a stone?"

The pain ebbs away and leaves anger. Rage. A blood red mist shades your vision. "I. don't. know." You struggle to keep control of your voice, and can feel your hands shaking. "You made me black out before I could see the source." The room changes around you. The walls blacken, the trees die and leave only rotten, dessicated husks. The pond turns to blood and the grassy moss turns into a floor of tiny, oozing spikes.

"Uh," the goblins' faces drain of color. "C-Calm down, now." The commander raises her hands in front of her. The shaman stays silent.

"What?" Their actions aren't helping. "Why would you be curious if it's a stone or not?" The prospect of annihilating them is a very attractive one.

"A legend." The shaman is doing very well to control his voice. "There is a story told to new shamans about how contacting the dead is easier near glowing blue pillars. I never thought it was true. Apparently it is. All of the others wanted to leave, so they left."

You calm down enough to revert the room back into a pleasant place. "That little piece of information would have been very helpful the last time I talked to you. Why do you bring it up only now?"

He shrugs.

[AntiAntiMatter]

Ask them why they did not leave yet, and invite them to do so.

[Nivim]

 Make sure that they don't take anything of yours with them, or mess something up before they leave. They shouldn't have been able to do this in the first place; what happened to your flying swords?

[Urist McCheeseMaker]

We need to get that dead dude's spirit or body over here. How will we pull that off?