...,~†=#@@                                          @@#=†~,...
....,~†=#@                                          @#=†~,....
.....,~†=#                                          #=†~,.....
......,~†=                                          =†~,......
.......,~†                                          †~,.......
........,~                    #                     ~,........
.........,  .              .~~~~.               .   ,.........
.......... . =~~   ~=#  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)                 ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........,                                          ,.........
........,~                                          ~,........
.......,~†                                          †~,.......