.........~                                          ~.........
..........                                          ..........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~=                                          =~........
.......~=*                                          *=~.......
......~=*%                     #                    %*=~......
.....~=*%¤   .              .~~~~.               .  ¤%*=~.....
....~=*%¤#  . *~~   ~*¤  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)                 =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
..........                                          ..........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~=                                          =~........
.......~=*                                          *=~.......