Guardians
Guardians, or Guardian Dragons, are not Heralds, despite longstanding information that they are.
A direct quote from Lyneya from Discord, involving the events around Wild Magic.
So, I believe some of the people's frustration may stem from the fact that they don't know what their characters should know about the Heralds as it becomes increasingly clear that they might be our villains. The public information on them is sparse and misleading.
Your characters would know the myths and rumors: Heralds are uber powerful and do not often bestir themselves to meddle in the ways of life on Elanthia. Their existence is believed to go back to the dawn of time. They've been known to step in and govern the use of magic, but no one has ever figured out why. Even the Immortals bow down to them and their might.
Adventurers have met three Heralds: Elide, Issendar, and Kirmhara. The information I can see on Elanthipedia about these three aligns with what I have for staff documentation and what former staff members have been able to tell me.
To clear up a suspected point of confusion: The words "Guardian" and "Herald" are not interchangeable. The three Guardian Dragons on Elanthipedia are not Heralds. They are something else. This is also confirmed by the original writers and former staff I've spoken with.