Sumpko's Mantle (Magic Cloak)

If the legends are to be believed, then Sumpko must certainly be considered the greatest tusu of the korobokuru race. She (most stories refer to Sumpko as female) wandered far and wide, even through the strange lands of the south and into the netherworld, and much korobokuru folklore consists of tales of her adventures and the extraordinary things she encountered.
This ancient relic was endowed with magical power. It supplemented her ability so that she was a greater wielder of magic than is possible for normal korobokuni, and it also allowed her to see into the spirit worlds.
If a wearer is a Spellcaster, spells take effect as if cast by a character three levels higher, regardless of racial maximum's (Sumpko could have cast spells as a 10th-level wu jen, though korobokuru cannot rise above 7th level in that class). The mantle does not allow characters to learn spells as if of the higher level, only to cast the ones permitted by their actual level with greater efficiency.
The second power of the mantle is to view the Astral and Ethereal Planes. By concentrating, a wearer may see into either of those planes (provided that the plane intersects the Prime Material Plane at the wearer's location). A wearer need not be a Spellcaster for this power to operate.
The one side-effect of the mantle is that when the wearer is under great stress (as determined by the DM, but which happens only rarely), he or she must save vs. spell at -4 or sight becomes involuntarily focused on the Astral or Ethereal Plane (equal chances of each) for 3d4 rounds. This makes a character effectively blind on the Prime Material Plane.
The mantle is sized to fit a korobokuru, although it is believed that it resizes itself to fit any wearer. It is made of the wools of various northern animals, brightly dyed and woven in attractive patterns. Tiger fur lines the edges.
Sumpko is believed to have created the mantle with the assistance of several powerful spirits. She passed it on to her successor, and so, for more than a century, it remained in the village; then it was taken in an attack by hobgoblins and ogres. It has since appeared in the hands of various shamans in every corner of the Ama Basin. Some are known to have met gruesome deaths. The mantle is suspected to be controlled by evil spirits whose attentions were won by eavesdropping on other planes.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Cloaks