The war between Iroa and Saramast has raged for over a hundred years, starting over a dispute about Kitsune killing Ulfen for their rituals, as the blood of an Ulfen is quite powerful. What started as a moral dilemma broke out into a full on war, after several events that made it impossible for Kitsune and Ulfen to trust each other.
Multiple kingdoms sided with Iroa, rightfully agreeing that the Kitsune were in the wrong, especially since Kitsune had moved on to sacrificing humans and Lapin in their rituals to call on dark magic. Despite the alliances, the Kitsune stayed strong regardless of their small numbers. Their ability to take out those on the field was unmatched. This was because the other kingdoms were unaware that Kitsune can regenerate and that the only way to kill them is by beheading and burning their bodies. This made them expendable and impossible to defeat.
The war changed upon the arrival of Irys Smith, a young Kitsune who had developed powers beyond anything the Kitsune or Ulfen had seen. She was able to raise colossal undead creatures by herself, something that most Kitsune must work together to achieve. She ravaged the battlefield with her abilities, an unstoppable force that quickly killed thousands within her first couple of years on the field.
However, soon the Ulfen had their own weapon in the form of what the Kitsune called the Beast of Death. A berserker unlike anyone had ever known. Much like Irys, he was feared on the battlefield and became a turning point for the Ulfen. He was able to defeat many of the beasts Irys was able to raise, leaving her with little resources to raise more. He killed hundreds of Kitsune - many of which he devoured and killed permanently. He became a terror amongst the Kitsune and many feared going up against him.
As the war raged on, and as both Ulfen and Kitsune continued to lose numbers, and as Irys took the throne, there had to be something done to stop the violence. Finally a truce was called by Irys, who spoke with the Jarl Kiln - who she’d met on the battlefield before the two of them had come into power. They struck a deal that they would end the war and unite their kingdoms by marrying a Kitsune royalty to a Ulfen royalty.
Currently, this is where the story is at.