Hoflans are a race of small people hailing from the nation of the same name. The larger races tend to use a more bastardized phonetic version of that name, Halflings.
Hoflans are small, not overly strong, and ill suited for conventional warfare. To remain a power in the world as well as just to survive, they have turned to economics. Establishing trade routes throughout the world, the nation of Hoflan has become one of the most powerful trading powers in history. Whether by road, sea or the many rivers that crisscross Hoflan their merchants can be seen every where.
As a by-product of their world traveling merchants, whether by design or not, they have become well known as spies and information brokers. This is due mostly to the need for them to know which way the economic winds are blowing. A common Hoflan saying is,"Know your neighbor better than they know themselves." When you know everything about someone you can anticipate their trade needs before they even know themselves.