##%%^-^...                                          ...^-^%%##
###%%^-^..                                          ..^-^%%###
####%%^-^.                                          .^-^%%####
###%%^-^..                                          ..^-^%%###
##%%^-^...                                          ...^-^%%##
#%%^-^....                    #                     ....^-^%%#
%%^-^.....  .              .----.               .   .....^-^%%
%^-^......  . %--   -%#  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)                 ..^-^%%###
##%%^-^...                                          ...^-^%%##
#%%^-^....                                          ....^-^%%#
%%^-^.....                                          .....^-^%%
%^-^......                                          ......^-^%
^-^.......                                          .......^-^