Detect Soul? What nonmagic things have auras?

[unseenmage]

How could a character detect a soul residing within a mundane, non-magical item or object?

Thinuan Steel for example is a non-magical material (not sure if it lists an aura though) and it holds a soul.

[unseenmage]

Additionally, what non-magic things have auras? Shapesand is an alchemical item. Specifically nonmagical. And IIRC it has a light transmutation aura.

As DM what aura would one give a misplaced soul?

[OldTrees1]

Mindsight can detect the location of minds. I do not know of any mindless souls.

[Psyren]

I would say if a creature is not in its body, anything used to locate that creature will reveal the soul's location unless it's being actively blocked.

If all else fails, wish or miracle can locate a soul, even one that is being imprisoned by the Void card in a Deck of Many Things, so they must be able to locate one anywhere. And if they can do it, Metafaculty can too. Discern Location should work as well, though it can be blocked by some effects.

[Waker]

The Soulsight feat from Magic of Incarnum grants you a Blindsense ability that lets you detect the presence of living creatures. If you bind a meld to your Brow Chakra, you can detect living and non-living creatures.