Preserver Box

A storage box that stops an object from deteriorating.

History

These boxes were originally developed as a way of slowing the progress of a disease or keeping a critically injured person from worsening until they reached a healer. There were already several spells known to stop food from spoiling or a body from decomposing so it was assumed that this would be relatively easy. However, while applying the spells to a box didn't present much difficulty probelms became apparant during trials with animals. Everytime a living creature was placed within the box it died.

A great deal of time and effort was devoted to trying to solve this issue, with the conclusion eventually being reached that the spells stopped the processes necessary for any living thing to survive. Since a large amount of coin had been spent on this project those attempting to create the life saving boxes realised that they needed to present something of value if they wanted to save their jobs (and possibly their lives). Their solution was to point out the potential benefits of being able to preserve non-living matter. Despite their best efforts the boxes were judged a failure and it would be safe to say that those who had worked on the boxes were never employed for similar work again.

Placing a hand inside one of these boxes is enough to kill the hand so tongs are typically used for movings things in or out of a box

Despite having been judged a failure, those who had invested in the preserver boxes were keen to recoup at least some of their losses so they sold them to adventurers and historians who wanted to protect recovered documents and artwork.

Manufacturing

These boxes are typically made in several parts. The first is an inner metal which has the spells of preservation inscribed upon it. The metal used is typically quite thin to minimise the weight of the box, but this does make it quite flimsy.
An outer layer in wood is typically added around the metal part of the box. The wooden layer was usually custom made to fit the metal box as closely as possible. This outer layer also featured a lock and in some cases those commissioning the box would pay for additional spells to protect the box itself.

Most of these boxes were customer made for specific objects so they come in many shapes and sizes. The boxes are not especially sturdy and can be destroyed as easily as any mundane of the same size and construction so few survived the Years of Darkness.
Those which have survived are generally found in the hands of historians or those nobles willing to pay extravagent sums to own a piece of history.