That being said, Redgar didn't even notice the axe at first. His eyes had been drawn in by a flash of gold, buy a fallen tree just off to the side of the trail. The flash was caused by the 25 gold coins, given initially to Gerim by Merthild's Elders, the leather pouch that held them must have rotten through. This discovery is what lead to Redgar's decision to look through the brush and see what else he could find. Additionally, it leads to all his future trouble.  

Then the pale white of Gerim's bleached bones were the second thing to catch his attention. Redgar searched Gerim's remains but didn't find much else of value, that was until he noticed an axe. The same axe the gentle Blacksmith forged but a few years back and the only axe that can cut the trees of the Emerald Forest.

Redgar noticed that the axe didn't have a name or any other identifiers on its handle. Usually, its forger would at least carve there initials on the handle. I can only guess that the Blacksmith, in his rush, forgot to add his signature. About this time Redgar also noticed that the fallen tree he was digging under looked almost as if it had been chopped down.