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