History ShoutOut / DragonAgeInquisition

* In one piece of dialogue detailing Dorian's efforts to gain unrestricted access to the wine cellar, a messenger says Josephine received a letter from a [[Series/DowntonAbbey "Countess Grantham"]].

* There are a number of subtle references to ''Franchise/MetalGear'' in the ''Descent'' DLC. Not only is Lieutenant Renn an {{Expy}} of Solid Snake (right down to the nerding out on weird topics and being voiced by Creator/DavidHayter), but you go through and collect literal metal gears along the way.

* A landmark in the Emerald Graves has a note from an Orlesian commander, grumbling about losing several men who were trying to find [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda elven treasure behind a waterfall]].
* In the Hissing Wastes, you can come upon a merchant. Upon his table are a shield, a key, and a candle - the same three items seen in the first merchant's shop encountered in the original ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda''.

* There's one which is ''only'' found if you take the Elite Clientele perk (found in the Connections category). Once you've taken the perk, leave Skyhold and return, then go down to the basement, to what looks like an unused banquet hall.[[note]]To access that area, go through the first door toward Josephine's office, then turn left and go down the stairs.[[/note]] You now have a massive vault filled with piles of (untouchable) gold coins! The ShoutOut comes in when you notice that there's a random top hat sitting on one of the piles, making it look as though [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales Scrooge McDuck]] has gone swimming in the Inquisition's coffers.

* The Frostback Basin in ''Jaws of Hakkon'' contains several pieces of ConspiracyTheorist writings that have a wide range of references to UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheory lore.

* The Inquisitor can ask [[LovableRogue Varric]], an artificer who's probably [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob the richest member]] of the Inquisition, a fast-talker who either irritates or charms everyone he meets, and is voiced by... [[WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes Captain America]], what he thinks about Leliana, the Inquisition's [[TheSpymaster spymaster]]:

* A codex entry at the ritual tower in the Western Approach contains several references to the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' franchise, including the phrase "more than meets the eye," large living metal creatures that seek a glowing mineral, "deceptive icon" (Decepticon), a position that is "hardly optimal (primal energy burned)" (Optimus Prime / Optimus Primal), skies that quake (Skyquake) and [[TheStarscream stars that scream]], that the glowing mineral is the "energy on (Energon) which it survived," and mentions of a "gentle autocrat" (Autobot). The codex also mentions a "Mage Atronis," which is an anagram for "Is Megatron."

** After Inquisitions release, as ''Series/GameOfThrones'' went on, it may have shouted back or these could just be happy coincidences.

* Fittingly, Vivienne's companion quest to kill a white wyvern is called "[[Literature/SnowWhiteAnd Bring Me the Heart of Snow White]]."

** Two more (possible) references to the ME universe: the sound the horns in the Exalted Plains make is the Reaper siren/horn/etc sound, and the Horror Demons use the Banshee sound effect upon spawning.

* One of the reasons Svarah Sun-Hair opposes the Jaws of Hakkon is because she finds [[spoiler:summoning a god to destroy the lowlands]] while the Fade rifts are around to be incredibly foolish. Her precise words are "Only a fool fights in a burning boat," a reference to Kang's famous line in the [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries classic Star Trek]] episode, "Day of the Dove".

* Many of the cryptic comments Cole makes are {{Shout Out}}s to novels, films and other video games, mainly by [[InvokedTrope invoking]] ItWasHisSled:

** In a banter with Blackwall, Cole spontaneously mentions [[Film/{{Candyman}} a man who had bees coming out of his mouth]].

* Crestwood, a town that was rebuilt after the original was flooded several years beforehand [[spoiler: by a person of authority]], is now filled with the walking undead. The Inquisitor needs to use a dam to clear the flood, and explore the ruins of the previous version of the town, distinguished by referring to it as the "old" version. Change Crestwood to Tien's Landing and it's ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'' all over again.

* Dorian's family betrothed him to a young woman named Livia Herathinos, before he fled Tevinter. He mentions that she is extremely intelligent and scathing as well as beautiful, and was about as keen on the engagement as he was. A clever, sarcastic Livia in a setting that strongly resembles ancient Rome complete with poison and backstabbing as a national sport, about to be married off to an unsatisfactory husband... [[Literature/IClaudius perhaps Dorian dodged a bullet in more ways than one]].

* During one conversation with Solas (who is able to manipulate dreams and access [[SpiritWorld the Fade]] through them), you inexplicably are transported to Haven (which at this point in the story [[spoiler:has been destroyed by Corypheus]]). The Inquisitor (and quite possibly the player) may not notice this discrepancy, until Solas calmly asks you how you got there, at which point you realize you're dreaming and wake up. [[Film/{{Inception}} Hmm...]]

** "The Mystery of the Aqeuducts" talks about ley lines and their study by a "Professor Whalen Vankin", a reference to the writers John Whalen and Jonathan Vankin, who co-wrote a series a books about conspiracy theories. "Professor Vankin" also wrote about the "Ordo Templis Royalis", a reference to the RealLife cult Ordo Templi Orientis.

** Finally, "The True Purpose of the Crater", discusses Lord L'Rouche of Montsimmard, who blamed an earthquake on the Fereldan royalty trying to usurp Orlais' power, making reference to Lyndon La[==]Rouche, the founder of a political cult called the La[==]Rouche movement, who is known to believe in several [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Views_of_Lyndon_LaRouche_and_the_LaRouche_movement#The_.22British.22_conspiracy conspiracy theories]] about the British monarchy (in game, Ferelden is the FantasyCounterpartCulture of Britain).
** After acquiring all the notes and returning them to their owner, Trader Helsdim Rolfsen, you can recruit him as a spy for the Inquisition. In his first report to the Inquisitor, he puts forth speculation about a conspiracy involving Andrastian bloodlines and a magical formula that can be used to control weather, bearing similarities to the Jesus bloodline hypothesis (although it is worth noting that in the ''Dragon Age'' setting it is widely accepted fact that Andraste ''did'' have children, there's just no way to trace the lineage since she only had daughters who only had daughters etc. in a patrilineal society) and the HAARP conspiracy theories respectively.

* In the Winter Palace, you are able to pick up several pages of Orlesian Theater, many of which are shout outs to other works of fiction. In particular, this quote is a pretty clear shout out to ''Literature/TheKingInYellow''.

* One of the alternative Skyhold outfits is called [[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire Night's Watch]]. it appears to be based off of the Night's Watch uniforms from ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

* One of the pieces of Wardrobe is called "[[http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Immortal Immortal]]", in which the outfit is desribed as [[Film/MadMaxFuryRoad "Be Observed; Standing at the portals of the fade, glittering and silver".]]

** After acquiring all the notes and returning them to their owner, Trader Helsdim Rolfsen, you can recruit him as a spy for the Inquisition. In his first report to the Inquisitor, he puts forth speculation about a conspiracy involving Andrastian bloodlines and a magical formula that can be used to control weather, bearing similarities to the Jesus bloodline hypothesis (although it is worth noting that in the ''Dragon Age'' setting it is widely accepted fact that Andraste ''did'' have children, there's just no way to trace the lineage since she only had daughters who only had daughters etc.) and the HAARP conspiracy theories respectively.