There is a certain feel to being among people who decide to dedicate their time, money, sweat, and maybe even blood to the helping of others, never expecting repayment for the same deeds. To be part of something greater than your life, working to create things within months far grander than anything one single person could, even with decades dedicated to the same task. Seeing the living, laughing, loving faces of those you either personally saved with blade or medicine or guard with shelter and food induces a feeling of pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment in anyone.
Yet, even among the Pilgrims, who espouse communal effort and celebration, Exemplars can, have, and will arise among them, becoming beacons of what it means to be a Pilgrim, either in whole or in part. Their roles can be as varied as their stories, from orphans of purges being elevated into Knight-Pilots to stride across battle unopposed, scavengers reaching out a hand of hope to the hopeless, to caretakers raising new generations with ease and gentle hands. Be it character or action, these few among the many arise to the occasion and aid in the creation of miracles where disasters should have happened. For that, they are admired, cheered on, and seen as mortal ideals to strive towards.
Yet, to outsiders and those who neglect to ask, they seem more like paragons and saints of other cults and religions, venerated in the same way. More than the lowly commoners, in thought, action, and morals, better in every way, and revered for these reasons.
But to those within the Pilgrims or those who have asked enough questions, they will soon find that not the person is cheered on, but the action. The raising of a spear in defense of a child when all odds point to running to live another day, the Stichting of a wound, even as the blood is lost at rates that make recovery unlikely. A celebration and reminder found within those who dare to build a better world, that the Pilgrims are, at their very Core, not about compassion, or kindness, or any other simple virtue which anyone could espouse and never act on.
But that the way of the Pilgrims about doing right as you can, when you can, how you can to whoever you can and making no excuses to anyone for anything. And if someone wants to stop you from doing so, they'd better be ready to kill you.