The Receiving Room

Crowe’s Point Guidelines

If you’re new to the The Point (or even if you’re not), this is the place to be if you’re looking to write Point fiction (multi-character fiction set at Crowe’s Point) and need some help so you don’t outstep any boundaries.

Here, you’ll find guidelines to help you with your writing. It will provide you with an understanding of how The Point came to be and show you how the Point works

The best thing to do is catch up on your reading, as each story gives a clue as to how the Point runs — but hopefully what is written on this page will provide a simplified guideline.

If you think of anything that we should add, or have any questions, please write!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POINT

What is The Point?

The Point is a magical place… a bubble of fantasy in the middle of nowhere. Therefore, pretty much anything can happen. Be prepared to let your mind run free and think outside the boundaries of all logic.

Crowe’s Point isn’t a fixed place in time or space. You wouldn’t be able to point it out on a map or set a schedule by its’ clock. Time is slow there and wonderfully so. The day can last for what seems 36 hours and the sun can set in two different places. We can eat and not grow fat, and money is no object. In other words, you wish/think it and it IS.

How do The Boyz fit into The Point?

The Point is where all the Boyz (the various Russell Crowe characters) reside after they have ‘left’ their movie. They arrive at The Point soon after their movie is finished and very often they bring their ‘baggage’ with them. Also, they’ve been torn from a life that they either loved or hated, away from family and friends they knew well and placed in a world filled with lookalikes. On top of that, some of them have found out that they are not actually dead or maimed but instead they’ve come to realize that they are the creation/incarnation of a single actor by the name of Russell Crowe, their Creator.

The Boyz live together at The Point. Most of them have learned to adapt very well to their new environment. They’ve learned to live together, work together and survive together. Sid can, of course, cause mayhem and madness as he would be apt to do, but a character, like Hando for example, has come to adjust to a life very different from what he started out in. Others, like John or Maximus, have naturally fallen into a leadership roll and others have picked up where their gifts and talents suits them best.

How does one get to The Point?

Visiting The Point isn’t a simple thing. Like we mentioned in #1, there is a certain magic to the place and part of it is in how The Point is hidden from the Real World, and how one visits this hidden place. Some come and go, getting their ‘fix’ and leaving soon after. Others, like many of the Gaslight writers here, have a connection. We are called/drawn to The Point. Those of use with that special connection were drawn by the Boyz themselves: Laura by Maximus, Aurore by Bud, etc.

Where do people stay at the Point?

The Boyz reside in what we call ‘The Tavern’ (rooms/suites in the floors above and a bar/restaurant on the main floor). The girls (visitors and many permanent residents) reside in ‘The Hotel’ (also with suites in the floors above, offices, restaurants and ballrooms below). Some have taken up private residence in home and cabins that they have built for themselves.

Can the Boyz venture into the Real World?

While before it was assumed that any of the Boyz who ventured outside of the Point on their own would meet with death, some of the writers are beginning to find ways of exploiting loopholes and revising those limits.  It is theorized that the Boyz are true to the nature of their Creator and thus, not happy to be contained within the boundaries of the Point - so they have been and are beginning to find ways of breaking down those limits.  Thus, you will see Maximus conferring with Max Skinner on the vagaries of growing a vineyard, with the intent of creating a label (or two) for the Point, thus bringing in revenue, or Cort building a retreat center and establishing ties with a local mission so the Point may share its wealth with those in need; and others, like Terry and his own company offering consultations of security and risk management.   Suffice it to say, there are many possibilities not yet explored, so a writer can have a lot of fun getting the Boyz to do what they do best!

Can the Boyz go back to their own movies?

Yes, if they want to. Most of the Boyz have adjusted to The Point well enough that their desire to return to their movie world isn’t there any more and some had no desire to return in the first place. However if the Boyz do return to their movie worlds, they cannot bring characters from their movies out with them as that would pretty much destroy the premise of The Point (creating a new life for and with the Boyz). If we did this, John Biebe could bring his wife and children, Hando could bring his gang and soon you’d have movie characters running all over the place. However, you can bring non-movie character to The Point in the way that Tina brought John’s parents and siblings (they were her own creation).

Who is with whom?

Do you have your heart set on a particular character? Great! Do you need to know who the couples are for your story?  See the Current Couples page for a list of who’s with who and also which Boyz are yet to be paired up with some one.

Do you have your eye set on a certain Boy but they are already paired up??

That’s okay!! The great thing about The Point is the ability to have an alternate universe. If you choose a character that is already matched with someone else, what we do ask is that you avoid having the character’s ‘other interest’ in your story. Take John Biebe for example. If you happen to choose Biebe as your own connection, then you would avoid having Tina in any of your stories. It would make things awkward having Tina walk down the hallway and run into your alter-ego and Biebe. Therefore it is just best to create your own world (or alternate universe) at The Point if you choose to match yourself up with a character that is already paired up, a world where part of the Point (in this example, Tina) doesn’t exist. And again, there is the option of creating an original character for your alter-ego as an alternative.

We do have several writers who have doubled up on characters (as you can see from the list above). They have managed to create marvelous worlds for themselves at The Point: Aurore and Trisha with Bud, Tawny and Lady with Sid and Evelyne and Laura with Maximus.

Again, if your heart is set on a particular character, don’t let anything stop you; after all, this is your world.

Would you like to create an ‘original character’ like Dr. Anthony Giraudeau, Rick or Massimo?

Feel free! You can base them on another actor (like Dr. Anthony is based on Joaquin Phoenix) or you can have them be completely original or you can create an original Russell Crowe-clone character. You can create these characters and bring them to The Point, we share them; though we keep them as true to the wishes of their original creator as possible.

Can the Boyz have children?

No. One might say that they “shoot blanks.” We decided some time ago that it would be simply too complicated and WAY too strange to think that there could be Crowe-kids running around The Point.

Are the Boyz able to slip out of character in Point stories?

No. As with single character fiction at the Gaslight Hotel, the Boyz at the Point must stay in character. While they have adapted to life at The Point and may have changed slightly as a result (for example, Hando has no other skinheads at The Point to relate to, so he has grown and learned some to adapt to his new life). Their essential character, personality and their sexual persuasion remains the same as it was established in their movie, even though their circumstances may have changed.

Can Sid kill?

No. While we insist that the Boyz remain in character in their stories, this is one characteristic that we did change since we didn’t want Sid to be killing people left, right and center. Sid can have fun and create havoc to his heart’s content, but he cannot kill — his microchips have been mildly altered so that any time he may try to actually kill someone, he will malfunction.

Can the Boyz die?

Yes. They are just like humans in this respect. They can be wounded and killed. In addition, if they are away from The Point for too long, the Boys will die.  If any of the Boyz do die, The Point would essentially be destroyed as the Boyz need each other to survive (Magic, think magic!!)

Can the Boyz age?

No, they always remain the same age as they were in their film.

Once permanently at the Point, can our alter-egos age?

That is something we are still investigating.

What is a “Keeper” and who are they?

The Keeper is a term that came about from what was called ‘the Keeper’s List,’ which detailed specific items, emotions and other matters associated with the Crowe incarnations.

A ‘Keeper’s Book’ was explicitly mentioned in the Crowe Point story Eyes Wide Open: a thick, almost Bible-like volume in which the ‘possessions’ were registered; unless an AE’s publically told of her own, they are known only to the AE and the Keeper, and not even the Boyz are aware of the details. (NOTE: The Book has also been hinted at containing some of the history and secrets of the Point, but this has never been verified, not even by the Keepers).

According to lore, a Keeper is responsible for the trending of the Point itself and its’ day-to-day requirements until she becomes a type of living extension of that world. One of her greatest responsibilities is in emotionally guiding the arrival of new Crowe characters and helping them acclimate to their new existence. She maintains a semi-empathic connection with all of them (in fact, both before and on their arrival, she may briefly and naturally mimic their personalities), often sensing their suffering or happiness when the emotions are particularly strong. She can be a confidante or a friend if they desire; or a ‘sounding board’ during troubles, therefore her duties may range from a type of mayor, to a confessor, to a connection to the magic of the Point. Although none are technically clairvoyant, they occasionally have glimpses of newly arriving AE’s and possible Connections with the Boyz; they normally have awareness of a new incarnation’s coming; they have a general sense of the Point’s ‘health.’ Their effect can be so intense that they might unintentionally influence such things as the weather. She may become a close friend to an AE as well, and while AE’s may request that someone be permitted to visit – a friend, relation, etc. – it is the Keeper that gives the final approval, keeping in mind that the peace of the Point and avoiding troubles is utmost.

No one is certain how many Keepers there have been or how the arrangement began, as the Point’s age remains unknown but is believed to have undergone several evolutions, but the tradition has been traced back at least 100-plus years. All have been female; some have been blood relations; they are of varied backgrounds, but all with some ancestry hinting of spiritual sensitivities.

KNOWN KEEPERS:

Daisy Inch: roughly around the turn of the Twentieth Century. Her diary – hidden away at the Point – was discovered between 2000 and 2001.

‘Peaches’: approximately the late Nineties to approximately late 2000 to early 2001. The first mention of the ‘Keeper’s Book’ was made during her time.

Michelle: approximately 2001 through 2005. She is a direct descendant of Daisy’s and in fact, was not the first one in her family to be involved with the Point as a Keeper. Had a very intense connection with the incarnations during their arrival phases, causing her to suffer some extremely psychological and physical stresses (John Nash was perhaps the worst of all).

Trisha and Tina: approximately most of 2005 and the early part of 2006. The only documented time there have been two serving as Keeper; came about on Michelle’s resignation and departure. A supernatural being then at the Point suggested their appointment, and referred to them as ‘Light’ (Tina) and ‘Darkness’ (Trisha) due to their personalities, but the pairing worked well. Both possessed strong gifts, Trisha being the one to guide the new incarnations into the Point.

Tina: early part of 2006 to the present. An AE belonging to the initial post-Gladiator ‘boom’ period (May 2000).