Stumped: Creating a Portal/Passage/Entryway Look/Style

[LordEntrails]

So, I'm mapping (top down/battlemap style) a stronghold on the elemental plane of earth. Most of this is effectively a dungeon, but one of the things that is unusual is that many of the doorways or connections between rooms and hallways are actually solid stone walls. It requires that anyone passing through either having an ability to burrow or pass through solid stone (effectively keeping out pesky adventurers since earth elementals can pass through solid stone). These passages/portals are different from the rest of the stone walls, as those have been magically treated to prevent passage through them.

So, what look can I do on my map to make these portals/passageways stand out on the map? Maybe some sort of window symbol made stone colored?

Any or examples would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Redrobes]

The thing which makes a map different to an image or a photo of an area is what information to put in and what to leave out. It seems to me that if there is a passageway through the solid rock for elementals then what you need to decide is whether the map is for pesky adventurers or earth elementals. If you want it to be for both then you need to show those passageways in a form that shows its meaning. For example, you get one way streets which is somewhat similar to what your trying to convey. I dont have any specific advice or examples but that is what I think the problem is.

[LordEntrails]

Thanks

Yea, I do think that it has to be conveyed in some way since it is for an RPG and players will be using magic to navigate the passages. And the character will be able to visibly tell where most of these are. I'm thinking of something similar to a window (a narrowed section) with a glow about it. I've also considered something like a an old school door (the white rectangle) symbol with some variation (color, dot, etc).

I'll try a couple of things and post anything here that looks like it might give anyone inspiration.

[LordEntrails]

Ok, very early "prototypes". I'm thinking I will need to take these and make them thicker and maybe even blend more with the stone. Not sure.
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