(Spoilers Extended) Howland Reed, what impact will he have on the story?

Howland is probably the character I'm most interested in seeing in the later books because there's so much to him that ties into major characters. His likely knowledge of Jon Snow's true heritage, his friendship with Ned, sending his children off with Bran, as well as knowing that Jon was Robb's successor as King In The North. Now there's also the possibility that he's in contract with Lady Stoneheart as well.

He's practically the nexus point for a bunch of the current story happening. If the theory that The Knight Of The Laughing Tree really was Lyanna is correct, she only donned the armor to help out Howland, thus catching the eye of Rhaegar and setting off the events that lead to Robert's Rebellion.

He's also potentially the only actual competent/'safe' magic user that we know about. Most depictions of magic in the series emphasize how dangerous it is but Howland has seeming been both seeking it out and practicing since his youth when he was one of the only people to travel to the isle of faces. Given Georges more hippy roots I could easily see the man who lives with nature and respects both the power and danger of it being the only one who can successfully coexist with it.

However there's also some odd bits about him too. He practically never leaves the Neck now and I don't think Robb ever actually gets a chance to meet him in person, nor are there many Crannogmen who actually join the fighting force itself. What could Howland be doing in the Neck and why did he never bother to visit Ned for all that time, nor take more personal interest/care in his good friend's son? Could all the magic and prophecy made him cold like the other magic users we've seen?

All shouts out to my short kings the crannogmen, gotta love the swamp people.

Howland is just a very intriguing character to me and I can't wait to see him in the next couple of books! (cries a little)