Question about the first chest

At the crash site, there is a treasure chest guarded by a kite shaaman and an ailing wolf. The first 3 characters that I started, I had gotten some minor magickal items: A sword (useless since I started out with the child of a hero background and didn't think to equip Virgil with it), I don't remember what I got the second time cause I was playing a techy and didn't need it, the third time I got Charmed Small Armor, also useless since I was an elf.

I accidently overwrote my evil elf and have to start it over. I check the chest now and get zilcho. I've seen 3 different sets in there. 1 with 132g and a fatigue potion, another with a couple of gems and a crystal of Kathorn and a third with a healing potion and gold.

Is the chances of getting something decent fairly low or are they effected by choices at character creation?

Another note, my stepfather started playing and for him, the chest was empty. Any thoughts or suggestions on this?

 

What you get is random when you create a new character but not always.
Personaly I've got no idea how this works.
I got once a magickal armor and i was quite happy but when I started again with the same character there was nothing

 

I have restarted with one character 22 times and gotten crap

 

The contents of that chest, and every other chest that don't have set contents, are determined at the beginning of the game. Things that affect the items found there are Name, Background, and Race. Try fiddling around with those three things if you want different items.