Hayfoots (or ‘Hayfeet’ — both are used by the clan) is one the major Halfling Clans and a largely mercantile clan of Halflings. They are found in the Reikland’s major trading spots: riverside villages: towns on major crossroads; and, of course Altdorf, the bustling jewel in the Reikland’s fiscal crown. With a shrewd eye for business and a knack for forging relationships, Hayfoot Halflings are driven by profit, and will travel far in search of a good deal, often with a retinue of adventurous Brambledowns in tow. On paper, the Hayfoot Clan is theoretically the largest trading house in the Reikland, but despite sharing a name, the clan’s business enterprises are far from unified.[1a]
Individual Hayfoots, or small consortiums, make their own trading deals, even competing against and undercutting close relatives. Most Hayfoots work as merchants, though many pursue adjacent careers, such as litigant or clerks. More adventurous Hayfeet may be found engaging in corporate espionage as investigators and spies, sniffing out their rivals’ secrets. Younger Hayfoots may work as servants for their older relatives, driving wagons pulled by ponies, earning their place in the family business. Rare is the Hayfoot that undertakes illicit activity. They recognise that success in business depends on reputation as much as savvy, and so Hayfoot merchants are unlikely to behave too unscrupulously, lest they tarnish their clan’s name.[1a]