Yotalu ascends to leadership within the Zol empire following his elder brother, the emperor, who succumbed to Black Wolf Fever. As the younger royal brother, his governance contrasts with the family's militaristic tradition, adopting a pragmatic stance. He directly confronts the plague crisis by commissioning physician Hohsalle to research a cure, insisting on its scientific origin despite court factions attributing it to divine punishment.

A prior history connects Yotalu to Van, former leader of the Aquafa resistance group, the Lone Antlers, granting him unique insight into Van's motivations compared to other Zol officials. Certain political factions in the subjugated Aquafa kingdom, led by Tohrim, perceive Yotalu as potentially malleable and support his rise as a strategy to influence Zol leadership.

During the climax, Yuna, possessed by the supernatural force known as the Inside Out, threatens Yotalu's life. Van intervenes to save him, an act pivotal in de-escalating the conflict between their peoples. After the revelation that deer milk confers immunity, Yotalu oversees the implementation of Hohsalle's cure. His acceptance of this scientific solution and cooperation with former adversaries facilitates an armistice, ending the prolonged Zol-Aquafa war and establishing peace.