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