Containers (Oblivion)

Chests are usually the largest storage container found and they normally contain items of higher value than other containers. Chests can vary in appearance dependent upon their location. As chests are the "best" container available, the term chest, is ofttimes used interchangeably for any storage container found within a dungeon. All chest have a generally rectangular box shape.

Most storage containers in the game are subject to reset, that is, they clear out all the contents after a certain period of time and are reset to their initial state. Most containers reset after about a week of game time, however, examining the contents of the container causes the countdown to start over. A container could be made to never reset simply by opening it once every 5-6 days or so. Any item a player has left in a container that has reset is lost.

Styles and usual contents

 * Chest - The standard
 * Ayleid Chest, Cask, Coffer, Reliquary – Usually found in Ayleid Ruin and contain various loot
 * Barrel, Crate, Small Crate – Found everywhere and usually contains generic, sometimes usable items, such as an inkwell, shovel, folded cloth, paintbrush, or food items.
 * Coffin – Usually found in caves and fort ruins where undead or vampires roam they often contain clothing, armor, gold, jewelry, and other misc. items
 * Counter – Usually contains jewelry or apparatuses
 * Cupboard, Sack – Often contains food or potions. Cupboards in bedrooms usually contain clothing.
 * Desk, Lectern – Occasionally contains books, parchment, or an inkwell
 * Display Case – Not a full container per se, but can hold a few items and doesn't reset. Items are literally dropped into it and the case is closed.
 * Drawers – Usually contains various clothing and sometimes armor. can also contain useless items, such as a iron pot.
 * Fleshy Pod, The Punished – The containers of Oblivion contain weapons, armor, gems, scrolls, and gold
 * Jewelry Box – Usually contains jewelry, precious gems, or gold
 * Urn – Circular containers, sometimes locked, it is a common misconception that they are found only in the Shivering Isles. They can be found in chapel undercrofts, Ayleid ruins, and other places where the dead reside.

Notable chests
Please list any unusual chests or chests containing rare items here.
 * There is a chest just within the north boundary of the map, on the far side of one of the Jerall Mountains (confirmed), resting between two pikes with impaled skulls, which contains approx. 20 gold and a lock pick (contents confirmation needed). The reason for this chest is unclear, as it contains no special items, although its odd placement may mean it is a reference to a quest in a previous game. There is another chest in the Valus mountain range (about mid-way) that is in between 2 pikes (as described above) containing a silver pitcher.
 * Under the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn, if you walk between the three barrels on the first floor, you can find it roughly under the door. Impossible chest to get, if you're a Xbox or Ps3 user, but if you're a PC user you can use the fly command and unlock console cheat to get it.
 * On top of Fort Coldcorn there is a upper level without stairs to it. An accomplished Acrobat can reach by jumping from pillar to pillar and reaching the platform. The chest contains a 'Key of Hidden Wealth' and a note, 'The sword leads the way. Half a mile. It's just past the big rock on the right.' The sword points in the northeast direction. The chest contains a Note of Bounty, a dagger (possibly enchanted, depending on level), and maybe a potion.
 * The Enchanted Chest in the Arch-Mages Quarters of the Arcane University duplicates a single item placed in it.

List of non-resetting containers
There are some containers that never reset and can hold an unlimited amount of items.
 * All chests and containers inside purchasable houses
 * The drawers in the Aleswell Inn. (After completing the quest Zero Visibility)
 * The armory chest in Cloud Ruler Temple.
 * All of the Dark Brotherhood Member's chests in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary
 * Most unique chests like "Captain Tussaud's Booty" on the pirate ship in the Waterfront District.