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Eloise was born in Farrun to a couple who ran a combined apothecary and enchanter's shop. She had a very normal and humdrum childhood and youth, although her parents neglected her education somewhat. Besides reading, writing and basic mathematics Eloise learned only a smattering of her parents' occupational skills.

She married a 32-year-old local horse-dealer named Gaston Burdieu at the age of 21. Gaston was charming at first, but within two years everything changed. At first, he started to drink heavily. That was bad enough, but he also gradually revealed himself to be violent, pathologically jealous and controlling.

When drunk, Gaston was convinced that Eloise cheated on him with practically every male in the town, although she did nothing of the sort. This delusion started to spill over to his sober moments, too, until he hardly would let Eloise outside the house and followed her secretly even then. Gaston's rage only increased by the fact that the couple did not have any children unlike he wished. At length he also became violent and Eloise received quite a few bad beatings.

Eloise's desperation might have caused her magical talent to surface suddenly. One day, when Gaston was coming at her and a beating was imminent, Eloise felt a strange pulsing inside her. Her hands made an involuntary movement and strange words came from her mouth. Gaston stopped on his tracks and fled. Of course, when he came back he was even more furious and it didn't end well for Eloise.

She pondered on what happened, and came to the conclusion that she somehow had managed to transfer her own terror to her husband. Unfortunately, the effect was brief and so she could not rely on her newfound power for permanent protection. By experimenting, she found also a way to blast her suppressed fury to other beings so that they, too, lashed out for a short while.

This kindled her interest in the arcane, and also alleviated a little her feelings of helplessness. With some difficulty she obtained a spellbook of Oakflesh, which she used against Gaston's blows when time permitted its casting. In time she also learned how to kindle a ball of light. That, however, was as far as she got since her lacking basic education, meager resources and controlling husband would not allow any further study.

Finally Gaston's conduct became intolerable. After a severe beating Eloise finally decided that enough was enough, and fled. She packed her things and left her and Gaston's home one night, while Gaston was away at a business trip. She also took the money she had inherited from her parents, since they had died in the previous year to a plague.

With no living relatives and not wanting to endanger her few friends, Eloise fled Farrun altogether and made her way to Jehanna. There she lived under a false name for some months, unsure what to do. She was a housewife with few skills except domestic, and even her magical talents were unsuitable for making a living. She considered signing to some household as a domestic helper, or as a shopkeeper's assistant to learn a trade.
One day she had a letter from one of her friends, however. It contained a warning: Gaston was beside himself with rage because of Eloise's flight. He had vowed to find and kill her, even if that required hiring the Dark Brotherhood with the last of his money.

Eloise panicked. She booked a ticket to a Solitude-bound ship immediately. In the few days before the departure she also bought a dagger, a bow with arrows and a leather cuirass. She had no skill in their use, but also knew Skyrim was a wild place and some gear was obligatory. At the moment Eloise was prepared to face even Skyrim's war and wilderness rather than the husband she had left.

Eloise is naturally mild and friendly, and due to her bitter experiences rather melancholy. She wouldn't hurt a fly unless threatened. Fortunately she also has hidden resilience and some courage, which have carried her so far. Eloise doesn't care about politics at all, including the whole Talos debacle. She is prepared to worship any Aedra that can help her in her predicament, and that's enough for her.