diff --git a/scripts/deploy_synapse.py b/scripts/deploy_synapse.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..862d09c0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/deploy_synapse.py
@@ -0,0 +1,368 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Deploy Synapse Matrix homeserver on a remote VPS.
+
+Phase 1 of Matrix integration (Epic #269). Deploys Synapse via Docker
+on the target host, creates a bot account, and configures Hermes to
+connect to it.
+
+Usage:
+    python scripts/deploy_synapse.py --host <vps-host> --user root --domain matrix.example.com
+    python scripts/deploy_synapse.py --host 143.198.27.163 --user root --domain matrix.timmy.dev --dry-run
+
+Requires SSH access to the target host.
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import getpass
+import json
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def _ssh_cmd(host: str, user: str, port: int = 22, key_path: str = "") -> list:
+    """Build base SSH command."""
+    cmd = ["ssh", "-o", "StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new", "-o", "ConnectTimeout=15"]
+    if port != 22:
+        cmd.extend(["-p", str(port)])
+    if key_path:
+        cmd.extend(["-i", key_path])
+    cmd.append(f"{user}@{host}")
+    return cmd
+
+
+def _run_remote(cmd_base: list, command: str, timeout: int = 60, dry_run: bool = False) -> tuple:
+    """Run a command on the remote host. Returns (success, stdout, stderr)."""
+    full_cmd = cmd_base + [command]
+    if dry_run:
+        print(f"  [DRY RUN] Would execute: {command[:200]}")
+        return True, "", ""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(full_cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=timeout)
+        return result.returncode == 0, result.stdout, result.stderr
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        return False, "", f"Command timed out after {timeout}s"
+
+
+def check_prerequisites(cmd_base: list) -> bool:
+    """Check that Docker and docker-compose are available on the remote host."""
+    print("\n[1/6] Checking prerequisites...")
+
+    checks = [
+        ("Docker", "command -v docker && docker --version"),
+        ("Docker Compose", "command -v docker-compose || docker compose version 2>/dev/null"),
+        ("curl", "command -v curl"),
+    ]
+
+    all_ok = True
+    for name, check_cmd in checks:
+        ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(cmd_base, check_cmd, timeout=15)
+        if ok:
+            print(f"  ✓ {name}: {stdout.strip()[:80]}")
+        else:
+            print(f"  ✗ {name}: not found")
+            all_ok = False
+
+    return all_ok
+
+
+def install_docker(cmd_base: list, dry_run: bool = False) -> bool:
+    """Install Docker on the remote host if not present."""
+    print("\n[1b] Installing Docker...")
+    install_cmd = (
+        "curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh && "
+        "systemctl enable docker && systemctl start docker"
+    )
+    ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(cmd_base, install_cmd, timeout=120, dry_run=dry_run)
+    if ok or dry_run:
+        print("  ✓ Docker installed")
+        return True
+    print(f"  ✗ Docker install failed: {stderr[:200]}")
+    return False
+
+
+def deploy_synapse(cmd_base: list, domain: str, data_dir: str = "/opt/synapse",
+                   dry_run: bool = False) -> bool:
+    """Deploy Synapse via Docker on the remote host."""
+    print(f"\n[2/6] Deploying Synapse for {domain}...")
+
+    # Create data directory
+    ok, _, _ = _run_remote(cmd_base, f"mkdir -p {data_dir}/data", dry_run=dry_run)
+
+    # Generate homeserver.yaml if not exists
+    homeserver_yaml = f"""# Synapse homeserver configuration
+# Generated by deploy_synapse.py for {domain}
+
+server_name: "{domain}"
+pid_file: /data/homeserver.pid
+listeners:
+  - port: 8008
+    tls: false
+    type: http
+    x_forwarded: true
+    resources:
+      - names: [client, federation]
+        compress: false
+
+database:
+  name: sqlite3
+  args:
+    database: /data/homeserver.db
+
+media_store_path: /data/media_store
+signing_key_path: /data/signing.key
+log_config: "/data/{domain}.log.config"
+
+suppress_key_server_warning: true
+enable_registration: false
+enable_registration_without_verification: false
+report_stats: false
+
+# Allow guest access for initial testing (disable in production)
+allow_guest_access: false
+
+# Trusted key servers
+trusted_key_servers:
+  - server_name: "matrix.org"
+"""
+
+    # Write homeserver.yaml
+    write_cmd = f"cat > {data_dir}/homeserver.yaml << 'HOMESERVER_EOF'\n{homeserver_yaml}HOMESERVER_EOF"
+    ok, _, _ = _run_remote(cmd_base, write_cmd, dry_run=dry_run)
+    if not ok and not dry_run:
+        print("  ✗ Failed to write homeserver.yaml")
+        return False
+
+    # Generate log config
+    log_config = f"""version: 1
+
+formatters:
+  precise:
+    format: '%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(lineno)d - %(levelname)s - %(message)s'
+
+handlers:
+  console:
+    class: logging.StreamHandler
+    formatter: precise
+    level: INFO
+
+loggers:
+    synapse.storage.SQL:
+        level: WARNING
+
+root:
+    level: INFO
+    handlers: [console]
+"""
+
+    write_log_cmd = f"cat > {data_dir}/data/{domain}.log.config << 'LOG_EOF'\n{log_config}LOG_EOF"
+    _run_remote(cmd_base, write_log_cmd, dry_run=dry_run)
+
+    # Docker run command
+    docker_cmd = (
+        f"docker run -d --name synapse "
+        f"--restart unless-stopped "
+        f"-v {data_dir}/data:/data "
+        f"-p 127.0.0.1:8008:8008 "
+        f"-e SYNAPSE_CONFIG_PATH=/data/homeserver.yaml "
+        f"matrixdotorg/synapse:latest"
+    )
+
+    # Stop existing if running
+    _run_remote(cmd_base, "docker stop synapse 2>/dev/null; docker rm synapse 2>/dev/null", dry_run=dry_run)
+
+    ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(cmd_base, docker_cmd, timeout=120, dry_run=dry_run)
+    if not ok and not dry_run:
+        print(f"  ✗ Docker run failed: {stderr[:200]}")
+        return False
+    if not dry_run:
+        print(f"  ✓ Synapse container started: {stdout.strip()[:12]}")
+    else:
+        print("  ✓ Synapse container (dry run)")
+
+    return True
+
+
+def wait_for_synapse(cmd_base: list, max_wait: int = 60, dry_run: bool = False) -> bool:
+    """Wait for Synapse to become healthy."""
+    print("\n[3/6] Waiting for Synapse to start...")
+    if dry_run:
+        print("  ✓ Skipped (dry run)")
+        return True
+
+    start = time.time()
+    while time.time() - start < max_wait:
+        ok, stdout, _ = _run_remote(
+            cmd_base,
+            "curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:8008/_matrix/client/versions 2>/dev/null | head -c 100",
+            timeout=10,
+        )
+        if ok and "versions" in stdout:
+            elapsed = int(time.time() - start)
+            print(f"  ✓ Synapse is up (took {elapsed}s)")
+            return True
+        time.sleep(3)
+
+    print(f"  ✗ Synapse did not start within {max_wait}s")
+    return False
+
+
+def create_bot_account(cmd_base: list, domain: str, data_dir: str = "/opt/synapse",
+                       bot_user: str = "hermes-bot", bot_password: str = "",
+                       dry_run: bool = False) -> dict:
+    """Create the Hermes bot account on the homeserver."""
+    print(f"\n[4/6] Creating bot account @{bot_user}:{domain}...")
+
+    if not bot_password:
+        import secrets
+        bot_password = secrets.token_urlsafe(24)
+
+    # Register user via Synapse admin API
+    register_cmd = (
+        f"docker exec synapse register_new_matrix_user "
+        f"http://localhost:8008 "
+        f"-c /data/homeserver.yaml "
+        f"-u {bot_user} "
+        f"-p '{bot_password}' "
+        f"--no-admin"
+    )
+
+    ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(cmd_base, register_cmd, timeout=30, dry_run=dry_run)
+    result = {
+        "user_id": f"@{bot_user}:{domain}",
+        "password": bot_password,
+        "homeserver_url": f"https://{domain}",
+    }
+
+    if ok or dry_run:
+        print(f"  ✓ Bot account created: {result['user_id']}")
+    elif "User ID already taken" in stderr:
+        print(f"  ⚠ Bot account already exists: @{bot_user}:{domain}")
+    else:
+        print(f"  ⚠ Bot registration: {stderr[:100]}")
+
+    return result
+
+
+def login_and_get_token(cmd_base: list, domain: str, bot_user: str, bot_password: str,
+                        dry_run: bool = False) -> str:
+    """Login and get an access token for the bot."""
+    print("\n[5/6] Getting access token...")
+
+    if dry_run:
+        print("  ✓ Skipped (dry run)")
+        return "dry-run-token"
+
+    login_data = json.dumps({
+        "type": "m.login.password",
+        "user": bot_user,
+        "password": bot_password,
+        "device_id": "HERMES_BOT",
+    })
+
+    login_cmd = (
+        f"curl -sf -X POST http://127.0.0.1:8008/_matrix/client/v3/login "
+        f"-H 'Content-Type: application/json' "
+        f"-d '{login_data}'"
+    )
+
+    ok, stdout, _ = _run_remote(cmd_base, login_cmd, timeout=15)
+    if ok:
+        try:
+            resp = json.loads(stdout)
+            token = resp.get("access_token", "")
+            device_id = resp.get("device_id", "")
+            if token:
+                print(f"  ✓ Access token obtained (device: {device_id})")
+                return token
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            pass
+
+    print("  ✗ Failed to get access token")
+    return ""
+
+
+def print_config(domain: str, bot_user: str, token: str, bot_password: str):
+    """Print the configuration needed for Hermes."""
+    print("\n[6/6] Configuration for Hermes")
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print(f"Add these to ~/.hermes/.env:")
+    print()
+    print(f"MATRIX_HOMESERVER=https://{domain}")
+    print(f"MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN={token}")
+    print(f"MATRIX_USER_ID=@{bot_user}:{domain}")
+    print(f"MATRIX_DEVICE_ID=HERMES_BOT")
+    print()
+    print(f"Bot password (save securely): {bot_password}")
+    print("=" * 60)
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Deploy Synapse on a VPS for Hermes Matrix integration")
+    parser.add_argument("--host", required=True, help="VPS hostname or IP")
+    parser.add_argument("--user", default="root", help="SSH user (default: root)")
+    parser.add_argument("--port", type=int, default=22, help="SSH port")
+    parser.add_argument("--key", default="", help="SSH key path")
+    parser.add_argument("--domain", required=True, help="Matrix domain (e.g., matrix.timmy.dev)")
+    parser.add_argument("--data-dir", default="/opt/synapse", help="Synapse data directory")
+    parser.add_argument("--bot-user", default="hermes-bot", help="Bot username")
+    parser.add_argument("--bot-password", default="", help="Bot password (auto-generated if empty)")
+    parser.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Print commands without executing")
+    parser.add_argument("--skip-docker-install", action="store_true", help="Skip Docker installation")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    print(f"Synapse Deployment for Hermes")
+    print(f"  Host: {args.user}@{args.host}:{args.port}")
+    print(f"  Domain: {args.domain}")
+    print(f"  Data dir: {args.data_dir}")
+    if args.dry_run:
+        print(f"  Mode: DRY RUN")
+
+    cmd_base = _ssh_cmd(args.host, args.user, args.port, args.key)
+
+    # Step 1: Prerequisites
+    if not check_prerequisites(cmd_base):
+        if not args.skip_docker_install:
+            if not install_docker(cmd_base, args.dry_run):
+                print("\n✗ Deployment failed: could not install Docker")
+                sys.exit(1)
+        else:
+            print("\n✗ Deployment failed: prerequisites not met")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 2: Deploy Synapse
+    if not deploy_synapse(cmd_base, args.domain, args.data_dir, args.dry_run):
+        print("\n✗ Deployment failed: could not start Synapse")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 3: Wait for healthy
+    if not wait_for_synapse(cmd_base, dry_run=args.dry_run):
+        print("\n✗ Deployment failed: Synapse not healthy")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 4: Create bot account
+    account = create_bot_account(
+        cmd_base, args.domain, args.data_dir,
+        args.bot_user, args.bot_password, args.dry_run,
+    )
+
+    # Step 5: Get access token
+    token = login_and_get_token(
+        cmd_base, args.domain, args.bot_user,
+        account["password"], args.dry_run,
+    )
+
+    # Step 6: Print config
+    print_config(args.domain, args.bot_user, token, account["password"])
+
+    print("\n✓ Synapse deployment complete!")
+    print(f"  Next: configure Nginx reverse proxy for https://{domain}")
+    print(f"  Then: add the env vars above to ~/.hermes/.env and restart the gateway")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/tests/test_deploy_synapse.py b/tests/test_deploy_synapse.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ba3bc1d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_deploy_synapse.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+"""Tests for deploy_synapse.py helpers."""
+import json
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch, call
+import subprocess
+
+
+class TestSshCmd:
+    def test_basic(self):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _ssh_cmd
+        cmd = _ssh_cmd("1.2.3.4", "root")
+        assert "root@1.2.3.4" in cmd
+        assert "ssh" in cmd[0]
+
+    def test_custom_port(self):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _ssh_cmd
+        cmd = _ssh_cmd("1.2.3.4", "root", port=2222)
+        assert "-p" in cmd
+        assert "2222" in cmd
+
+    def test_key_path(self):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _ssh_cmd
+        cmd = _ssh_cmd("1.2.3.4", "root", key_path="/root/.ssh/id_rsa")
+        assert "-i" in cmd
+        assert "/root/.ssh/id_rsa" in cmd
+
+
+class TestRunRemote:
+    def test_dry_run(self):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _run_remote
+        ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(["ssh", "root@host"], "echo hi", dry_run=True)
+        assert ok is True
+        assert stdout == ""
+
+    @patch("scripts.deploy_synapse.subprocess.run")
+    def test_success(self, mock_run):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _run_remote
+        mock_run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=0, stdout="hello\n", stderr="")
+        ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(["ssh", "root@host"], "echo hello")
+        assert ok is True
+        assert "hello" in stdout
+
+    @patch("scripts.deploy_synapse.subprocess.run")
+    def test_failure(self, mock_run):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _run_remote
+        mock_run.return_value = MagicMock(returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="error")
+        ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(["ssh", "root@host"], "bad cmd")
+        assert ok is False
+
+    @patch("scripts.deploy_synapse.subprocess.run", side_effect=subprocess.TimeoutExpired("cmd", 10))
+    def test_timeout(self, mock_run):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import _run_remote
+        ok, stdout, stderr = _run_remote(["ssh", "root@host"], "slow cmd", timeout=10)
+        assert ok is False
+        assert "timed out" in stderr
+
+
+class TestCreateBotAccount:
+    def test_returns_correct_structure(self):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import create_bot_account
+        with patch("scripts.deploy_synapse._run_remote") as mock:
+            mock.return_value = (True, "success", "")
+            result = create_bot_account(["ssh", "root@x"], "example.com", dry_run=True)
+            assert "user_id" in result
+            assert "password" in result
+            assert "homeserver_url" in result
+            assert result["user_id"] == "@hermes-bot:example.com"
+
+
+class TestPrintConfig:
+    def test_runs_without_error(self, capsys):
+        from scripts.deploy_synapse import print_config
+        print_config("example.com", "hermes-bot", "tok_abc", "pass123")
+        captured = capsys.readouterr()
+        assert "MATRIX_HOMESERVER=https://example.com" in captured.out
+        assert "MATRIX_ACCESS_TOKEN=tok_abc" in captured.out