So, I'm thinking about doing a bit of homebrew about crossbows. However, you don't see crossbows in myth and fantasy quite as much as you do other weapons, so I don't feel as familiar or comfortable with them as I would something like a sword or a bow.

With this in mind, I'd like to learn a bit more about them, and in general what people think about them. My understanding is that they're relatively easy to use (point and click is not such a hard concept compared to using a sling or bow) and put some real power behind their bolts. Of course, slow firing is also something people seem to associate with them, given how bolts were reloaded.
If any of these things are wrong or could have more detail behind them, please do enlighten me.

Beyond just the basic facts though, I'm interested in hearing what people think their coolest uses and features are. Stories, weird quirks, wacky stuff- pretty much anything that is interesting and has to do with crossbows.
Or terrible. Or spectacularly terrible. A piece of history in my town has taught me that horrible failures can be just as fascinating and inspiring as success.