| name | locate-object |
| description | In D&D, Locate Object senses the direction to a specific object within range. The real-world version is artifact search: finding that config file you know exists somewhere, locating a document someone mentioned but did not link, tracking down the source of a data value through a pipeline, or finding where a specific resource is defined in a sprawling repository. |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| author | Wizards of the Ghosts |
| license | CC0-1.0 |
| compatibility | Hermes Agent skills system |
| metadata | {"hermes":{"tags":["spell","shipping-now","metaphorical","investigation-and-preparation","analysis","discovery","translation","preflight"]}} |
Locate Object
Find a specific file, artifact, or resource you know exists but cannot locate.
What This Skill Does
In D&D, Locate Object senses the direction to a specific object within range. The real-world version is artifact search: finding that config file you know exists somewhere, locating a document someone mentioned but did not link, tracking down the source of a data value through a pipeline, or finding where a specific resource is defined in a sprawling repository.
In this grimoire, Locate Object is treated as a metaphorical spell with a shipping-now delivery profile.
Canonical reference input: Locate Object (spell).
When To Use
- You know something exists but cannot find it: a file, document, config value, or resource.
- A data value appears in output and you need to trace it back to its source or definition.
- Someone referenced an artifact without providing a link or path, and you need to locate it.
Prerequisites
- No extra runtime dependencies beyond Hermes Agent and the normal toolset for this session.
Procedure
- Restate the target, the success condition, and any no-touch boundaries before taking action.
- Define the target artifact: what is it, what would it look like, and what context do you have?
- Determine the search strategy: file name patterns, content search, reference tracing, or dependency analysis.
- Search systematically, narrowing scope with each round.
- Deliver the located artifact with its path, context, and any related artifacts discovered along the way.
- Package the result as the deliverables below, with confidence, assumptions, and unresolved risk called out explicitly.
Deliverables
- The located artifact: path, location, or reference.
- Context: what the artifact is, why it matters, and any related artifacts found during the search.
Pitfalls / Guardrails
- Keep the metaphor anchored to a real mechanism instead of drifting into lore.
- Locate Object finds things through search and deduction, not through unauthorized access. Respect access boundaries.
- If the artifact cannot be found, say so clearly rather than returning a near-miss as if it were the target.
Verification
- Check that the result includes every deliverable promised above.
- Check that confirmed facts, assumptions, and inferences are visibly separated.
- Check that the metaphor still maps cleanly to a real operational mechanism.
Example Invocation
/locate-object Use \$locate-object to find this [file/document/config/resource]. I know it exists but cannot locate it
