Personally I feel that Ascendants shouldn't be able to directly get essence from offerings and such. I had once mused the idea of Ascendants being able to create obelisks of power which would provide another interaction for Ascendants/Demigods . They would be raised by Ascendants and would generate essence each month depending on how many were raised. Each could raise a maximum of 5 or 10, and they couldn't be within a 4-room radius of one another. Each month an Ascendant or Demigod could attack the obelisk and damage it, though the owner could repair this damage by using some of their essence. If an obelisk is destroyed, it causes essence damage to the owner. Mortals can also get together and damage these obelisks to a smaller degree with a new skill possibly in environment.

Though that is actually walking down a different route entirely, I just don't agree with the idea of mortals offering to Ascendants; but if they ever could, I would perhaps think it would be limited to cult members. Alternatively I could understand Demigods being able to offer corpses to a Throne perhaps, and if an Ascendant was tied to that throne they could receive essence from it.

One at the Nexus, and one in each guildhall?

Clearly I forgot to mention that they had to be outside of organisation territory.

It would be prime only. And really, what do you mean by organisational resource? I must be misunderstanding, because it doesn't affect organisations; directly, atleast.

The idea for an Ascendant to raise the obelisks would be for them to get essence to use only their powers, etc. I estimated the gains at 50-75k per IC month with all obelisks raised, so it would not be a way for them to reliably keep blessings up, so it would not really be any more of an organisational resource than the Ascendant himself. A larger reason for this system is to give a point of conflict between ascendants.

A few people have said they don't like the idea of mortals getting into this place, but I don't quite understand why.

The only reason I believe to be potentially legitimate is RP, if only non-mortals could access 'cuz of the crazy vibes or somesuch. But that could easily be explained away by mortals not being in the same 'form' as non-mortals, or getting astral insanity or something.

Is there another rational reason I'm missing?

There is no rational reason to give a level 99 or level 100 player anything more than what they already get. People just don't want their 'work' validity removed by giving something of a facet to every aspect of player. It's terribly selfish, especially when it's such a petty status of 'superiority'.

I just think that letting regular mortal folks would make it less of something special and more of just another area is all.

On letting mortals in, I think if that is to happen, it needs to be like having a mortal with inept planar on astral.

Since this apparantly drains the hell outta demi essence. Mortals should suffer to be there as well, if they are allowed in. You can make it so they lose a % of exp for being there, or make it so they become insane at a very increased rate. And I mean VERY increased. So that maybe 15 mins in the place would be comparable to fully insane or something to mortals (half that for circlet owners of course). Maybe cause passive damage or like how shrines give that exctasy effect when enemies are present, stunning. Not sure exactly what. But if they are allowed, and demi's are drained from essence just by being there, then there should definately be some larger consequences for non demi's.
Other than that, sure let them in.

There is no rational reason to give a level 99 or level 100 player anything more than what they already get. People just don't want their 'work' validity removed by giving something of a facet to every aspect of player. It's terribly selfish, especially when it's such a petty status of 'superiority'.

You are putting words into people's mouths. I don't see comments on this thread from any vested interests 'selfishly' demanding that the area be kept solely for themselves. Your posts have a tendency to verge on the charmlessly aggressive, but there's nothing to be angry about! As has already been pointed out, nothing in this thread is set in stone. It exists to gauge player opinion and troll for ideas.

Personally, I'd think it just as special if only I could do stuff at the throne, and if it was primarily my actions that caused 'success'... But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to let other people join in. Again, if their combat/what they did was separate from what I did (separate, not unrelated), I think it's fine.

Speaking of Ascension, I found this fantastic artist's rendition of the Ascension of Ayridion.