.:«\*&&&#@                                          @#&&&*\«:.
...::\&&&#                                          #&&&\::...
.:«\*&&#@@                                          @@#&&*\«:.
..:::\\\*&                                          &*\\\:::..
.:«\*&&###                                          ###&&*\«:.
.:«««««*&&                    #                     &&*«««««:.
.:«\*&&##@   .              .««««.               .  @##&&*\«:.
....:\**&#  . *««   «*&  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)                 #@#&&*\«:.
.:«\*&&#@#                                          #@#&&*\«:.
...::«\&##                                          ##&\«::...
.:«\*&&#@#                                          #@#&&*\«:.
.:«\*&&@##                                          ##@&&*\«:.
.:«\*&&##@                                          @##&&*\«:.