.^-*^&@# #@#&&^*-^.
.^-*^&&@## ##@&&^*-^.
.^-*^&@# #@#&&^*-^.
.....^*^&& &&^*^.....
.^-*^&#@ @##&&^*-^.
......-^ # #&^-......
.^-*^&@# . .----. . #@#&&^*-^.
...^-**&&@ . ^-- -^& 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) @@#&&^*-^.
.^-*^&@# #@#&&^*-^.
.^-*^&@@ @@#&&^*-^.
.....^^-^& &^-^^.....
...^^-^^ #&^^-^^...
.^-*^&@# #@#&&^*-^.