Just who are they ?
Well, sort of a deux ex machina for civilization starting. They don’t claim to be gods, but they can shape change, speak and act just like the person they are replacing. No harm, unless the being being replaced is on a path The Elders don’t want.
Note there are some Elders who don’t want to guide starting civilizations, but moved to a pocket universe instead. Could it be Crest of a Star ?
The first group are not interfered with, that they know of.