Hey! Same people, same vibe. We've just moved off Discord and onto chat we actually own and run ourselves. We left over Discord's new ID requirements and the general slide toward sketchy privacy practices, and honestly it feels good to have our own place that no company can lock us out of or mine for data.
How we got here#
This community is older than any one platform; the current server is just its latest home. The full lineage:
- 2013 - 2015PsychonautWiki Kiwi IRC
Where it all began: a KiwiIRC webchat hanging off the wiki.
- 2015 - 2016PsychonautWiki IRC channel, TripSit network
Same channel, new network.
- 2016PsychonautWiki Telegram 1.0
The great IRC exodus. Version one didn't survive the year.
- 2016 - 2026PsychonautWiki Telegram 2.0
The do-over. We jumped ship in 2017; Telegram banned it in 2026 anyway.
- 2017 - 2018SED 1.0 Discord server
Started as the /r/replications subreddit's server, then renamed to SED (Subjective Effect Documentation) to match the broader Effect Index project. Ended in drama and a full server nuke.
- 2018 - 2023SED 2.0 Discord server
The clean-slate rebuild after the nuke. Five good years.
- 2023 - 2026Kins & Co Discord server
Reborn as the YouTube channel's server, back when Patreon supporters wanted a place to hang out. The Patreon gate is long gone; it's just the community now. RIP, done in by ID verification and the privacy slide.
- 2026 - Kins & Co Matrix server
You are here. Self-hosted and ours, with no landlord this time.
What is this, exactly?#
We're now on Matrix, an open chat standard, kind of like how email is an open standard anyone can build on. Instead of one company owning everything, our chat lives on a server we run, and you connect to it with whatever app you like. It does everything you're used to: text channels, DMs, voice and video calls, images, reactions.
How to join#
- Create your account at matrix.josiekins.xyz/register. Just pick a username and password. This is our server, where your account lives.
- You'll usually land straight in chat, already signed in. If not, open chat.josiekins.xyz and sign in with that same account, or use one of the apps below.
- You'll land in the Waiting-Room. Introduce yourself: who you are and how you found us.
- An admin reviews new arrivals, usually within a day. Once you're approved, you're automatically added to the Kins & Co space and every room in it. No invites to accept, nothing to click; give the rules a read before you dive in.
- Right after that, DoseBot DMs you the rules and a map of every room on the server, and posts the same map in the Waiting-Room.
matrix.josiekins.xyz is the server where you sign up, and chat.josiekins.xyz is the app you actually chat in.The rules#
Nine of them, and most are just "don't be a jerk" in different outfits. Every rule is linkable: hover one and grab its # to point someone straight at it.
You must be at least 18+ years old.#
Please be polite and reasonable.#
Use Relevant Channels#
Please keep specific topics within their relevant channels, at least most of the time.
No Reckless Behavior#
No excessively reckless behavior.
Inclusive Community#
This community does not accept any kind of racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, ableism, horsism, or general hatefulness. There's a lot of edgy humor here, but if you're using "it's just a joke bro" to cover actual bigotry, we'll know. If you don't like gay or trans people in particular, you're gonna have a bad time here.
SFW (Safe For Work)#
While we have an edgy sense of humor, please do not post excessively sexual or edgy content. If you are new or struggle with social nuances, err on the side of caution.
No Excessive Cringeposting#
The cringiness of your posting will be assessed by the subjective opinions of our staff team.
Science-Focused#
While we welcome philosophy, spirituality, and mysticism, persistent advocacy of pseudoscientific claims (e.g., DMT entities as literal interdimensional beings) may result in removal. We prefer exploring the source and context of ideas over dogmatic assertions. Know when to agree to disagree.
No Simping/Parasocial Behavior#
PLEASE no simping over, hitting on, excessively praising, being overly parasocial with, or sexualizing Josie. It makes me uncomfortable. This still counts even if the comments are "sarcastic" or a "joke." Developing Josie-related psychosis is also bannable offense.
Pick your app#
One account, any app. These are the ones we recommend. Sign in with your josiekins.xyz account in all of them:
chat.josiekins.xyz is our self-hosted copy of the Cinny web client. Nothing to install, already pointed at our server, works on any computer.Open web chatCinny downloads
FluffyChat (iOS & Android) is the friendliest mobile Matrix app, and the one we recommend over Element on phones. At sign-in, set the homeserver to josiekins.xyz.App StoreGoogle PlayF-Droid
Element (Windows, Mac, Linux) is the most polished desktop app, and the only one our Voice-Chat room works in. Choose "sign in", enter josiekins.xyz as the server.Element downloads
Already have a Matrix account?#
If you use matrix.org or any other Matrix server, you can join from your existing account, with no new signup needed. Join the Waiting-Room and say hi; the same approval step applies.
Server map#
Everything lives inside one big Kins & Co. space, organized into five sub-spaces. These are the actual rooms with their actual icons. Once you're approved you're already in all of them. You can link someone straight to this map with josiekins.xyz/matrix-info#map.
Server
Start here — the rules, the front door, and announcements.
Chitchat
Everyday conversation, in all its forms.
Creative-Output
Things we make, grow, cook, and generate.
Topics
One room per subject, for the deeper dives.
PsychonauticsTrip reports, harm reduction, perception
MusicListening and sharing
VideoTV shows, film, etc
SCIENCEFor when it needs to be empirical
PhilosophyMuch to think about
TechTechnology, internets, AI, coding, etc
ReadingBooks and what to make of them
VideogamesWhat we're playing
Cwtch-TrefY Parth Cymreig! The Welsh corner
Level-4-Clearance
Invite-only rooms that unlock for trusted members over time.
VIP-Cool-ZoneThe inner sanctuminvite
Bugs & FeaturesReport bugs and request featuresinvite
Saved for laterSaved resourcesinvite
EncryptedEnd-to-end encrypted roominvite
DoseBotBot commands and testinginvite
Coming from Discord?#
Most things map over almost one-to-one, just with different names:
| On Discord | Here on Kins & Co |
|---|---|
| All of Discord (the whole platform) | Our Matrix server (josiekins.xyz). We run our own copy of the entire platform, not just one server on it: accounts, media, calls, everything. |
| A Discord server | A space (our community lives in the Kins & Co. space) |
| Channel categories | Sub-spaces (see the server map) |
| Channels | Rooms inside those spaces |
| DMs | Direct messages. Same idea, and they can be end-to-end encrypted |
| Voice & video | Built-in calls (the Voice-Chat room, via Element) |
| The Discord app | Cinny in a browser, FluffyChat on your phone, Element on desktop |
| Your Discord login | One account that works in any Matrix app |
| Nitro & a company in charge | Nobody's in charge; we host it ourselves |
Is it actually more private?#
Yeah. It's open source, we host it ourselves, and there's no company mining your messages or asking for your ID. Direct messages can be end-to-end encrypted, so not even the server can read them. It's not magic, so still be sensible about what you share, but it's a real step up from a big platform that answers to advertisers.
Want more detail?#
Two explainers if you want the fuller picture of how this all works:
Stuck or confused?#
I'm still figuring all this out as I go, so if something's unclear or breaks, please tell me; it really helps. Once you're in, catch me in the chat, or email disregardeverythingisay@gmail.com and I'll get back to you. Glad to have you here. :)