###..#.#.#                                          .###.#...#
..#.######                                          #..###..#.
.###......                                          #.#..#.##.
#..#.....#                                          ###.###.#.
#.##....##                                          ..##..####
##.#...#.#                     #                    .#.#.#....
.###..###.  .              .««««.               .   ######...#
#..#.#..##  . $««   «$#  the basement  #$«   ««$$ . .....#..##
#.####.#.#  .   «#«     .««««««««««.     «#«    .   ....##.#..
##...#####                     #                    ...#.###.#
.#..#.....                                          ..###..##.
##.##....# the basement is a man-made subterranean  .#..#.#.#.
.##.#...#.   environment where you could find such  ##.#######
#.###..###   things as the furnace, the labyrinth,  .##......#
##..#.#..#           reptiles or graves.            #.#.....#.
.#.####.#.                                          ###....###
###...####  a small or rural basement is a cellar.  ..#...#..#
..#..#....                                          .##..##.#.
.##.##...#              «#«    .    «#«             #.#.#.###.
#.##.#..##                                          ######..#.
##.###.#.# often created in good faith, a basement  .....#.###
.##..####.   is nevertheless a way to bring a cave  ....###...
#.#.#...##    into your building, and cave things   ...#..#...
#####..#.# with it. i've found that it's easier to  ..##.##..#
....#.###.   think of all caves as the same large   .#.##.#.#.
...###..#.   structure, it's just that all parts    ###.#####.
..#..#.###    might not be physically connected.    ..##....#.
.##.###..#     that's what you're inviting in.      .#.#...##.
#.##..#.#.                                          ####..#.#.
##.#.#####                 .      .                 ...#.#####
.####.....            «#« . usages . «#«            ..###.....
#...#....#                 .      .                 .#..#.....
#..##...#.                                          ##.##....#
#.#.#..##.  the purpose of a basement is often to   .##.#...#.
#####.#.#.   hide unsightly appliances, engines,    #.###..###
....######  infrastructure (pipes and wells)... or  ##..#.#...
...#......  to hide the true weight (purpose?) of a .#.####...
..##......                 building.                ###...#...
.#.#.....#                                          ..#..##...
####....##  to draw from the earth around it, push  .##.#.#...
...#...#.#         above ground, laundered.         #.#####..#
..##..###.                                          ##....#.##
.#.#.#..#.    a cellar is a more senseful affair,   .#...###.#
######.##.   less intense... made to store things   ##..#..###
.....##.##    (food or brews, tools) in a colder    .#.##.#...
....#.##.. environment. perhaps to grow mushrooms.  ###.###...
...###.#..  perhaps to bury corrupt creatures (not  ..##..#...
..#..###..                 advised)                 .#.#.##...
.##.#..#.#                                          #####.#...
#.###.###.                                          ....###...
##..##..#.                                          ...#..#..#
.#.#.#.##.                                          ..##.##.#.
#######.#.                                          .#.##.###.