hermes - 💡(How to fix) Fix Obsidian skill: Vault path from `OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH` is not validated or confirmed on load

The Obsidian skill documents that users should set OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH in ~/.hermes/.env, but the skill does not validate or surface the configured path when it loads.

Current behavior:

• User correctly sets OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH in ~/.hermes/.env
• User restarts Hermes (CLI/TUI or gateway)
• Skill loads without any confirmation of which vault path it is using
• Agent may fall back to filesystem searches or incorrect assumptions instead of using the documented environment variable

Expected behavior: When the obsidian skill loads, it should:

1. Read OBSIDIAN_VAULT_PATH (or a configured default)
2. Validate that the path exists and is accessible
3. Clearly report the vault being used (e.g. “Obsidian skill loaded. Using vault: /mnt/d/.../Obsidian_Master_Vault”)
4. Fail with a clear error if the path is missing or invalid

Why this matters: Recent releases have focused on faster load times. However, reliability of core skills (especially something as fundamental as note-taking) should not be sacrificed. Users should not have to manually debug whether a documented configuration method is actually working.

Environment:

• Hermes version: latest (May 2026)
• Platforms: WSL + Telegram gateway
• Skill: note-taking/obsidian

Reported by: BigDon86