###..#.#..                                          ...#.#.##.
#.##....#.                                          #......##.
..###....#                                          .#.....##.
..#.##....                                          ..#....###
#...###...                                          ...#...#.#
##..#.##..                    #                     #...#....#
.##...###.  .              .====.               .   .#...#...#
.###..#.##  . †==   =†#  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)                 ..#....#..
....#.##..                                          ...#....#.
......###.                                          ....#....#
#.....#.##                                          #....#....
.#......##                                          ##....#...
..#.....#.                                          ###....#..