Personally I didn't perceive them to be evil whatsoever nor did I attack them, despite not having any DnD lore knowledge prior to playing the game for the first time ever.
Their conversation and behavior clearly indicate who and what they are and that they're not hostile. They're only cautious towards a Drow or a Githyanki, but even then they're not outright hostile. So any player not paying attention and making rash decisions without thinking honestly deserves the consequences. Which is the whole point of an RPG, making choices.
