Easter eggs (Origins)

There are a several Easter eggs in Dragon Age: Origins and this article contains detailed information regarding these Easter Eggs.

Baldur's Gate

 * When transitioning from one location to a next, a window will appear and ask if you wish to, "Gather your party and venture forth?" This is an obvious reference to Baldur's Gate I and II, when your player character attempted to leave an area without their companions.
 * A loading screen tip reads, "When all else fails, go for the eyes!" This is a reference to the famous Baldur's Gate characters, Minsc and Boo.
 * After visiting a female prostitute in Denerim sometimes they will utter "Hey Sexy! Do you want to take a look at my ditties?" The same phrase is uttered by the prostitutes in Amn.
 * When you get Dog to dig for treasure, he may find a pair of old pantaloons that could have once been silver or gold (though this find is not guaranteed). This is a reference to the golden, silver, and bronze pantaloons that could be collected in Baldur's Gate 1, Baldur's Gate 2, and Baldur's Gate: The Throne of Bhaal, respectively.
 * In one of the Denerim taverns, there is a red robed woman named Edwina. This is a reference to Edwin, from Baldur's Gate 2, and his rather unfortunate "transformation".
 * One of the codex entries mentions a powerful enemy named Gax'Kang. This is a reference to the demi-lich Kanggax, found in Amn in Baldurs Gate 2. Kanggax is a nod to one of the creators of D&D Gary Gygax.

Neverwinter Nights 2

 * A (dark) hero by the name of Cormic is mentioned several times in the Codex and dialogue. This may be a reference to the Neverwinter city marshal Cormick.
 * Your character may find a ring called, The Harvest Festival Ring which is a nod to the Harvest Festival Cloak.
 * As the game progresses you can find several characters that share the same name as Neverwinter Nights 2 characters such as Khelgar, Moire and Casavir.

Mass Effect

 * A character named Sarel at the Dalish Camp will recite a poem for you if you ask about the history of the Dalish Elves. This is a reference to Mass Effect's companion, Ashley, who was also voiced by Kimberly Brooks and had a penchant for reciting poetry. The voice of the assistant to the Dalish Elven keeper  of knowledge also uses the same voice as Ashley in Mass Effect.
 * In one of the game's Codex entries there is a reference to BioWare game Mass Effect and its slow elevator rides.
 * In one of the notes found in Orzammar, there is reference to a dwarf hero by the name of Shepard, the last name of the main character in Mass Effect.
 * On a gravestone in Haven is written "T.O. Hanoi. Unloved, unmourned". A reference to the Tower of Hanoi puzzle which was used in Mass Effect, Jade Empire, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Literature

 * The Summer Sword is likely a reference to "the Sommerswerd," a unique weapon belonging to the main character of the classic choose-your-own adventure novels "Lone Wolf."
 * There is a book of Dwarven poetry found in the Denerim markets with a poem about Nugs and Mush. It is even written by Paragon Seuess. It's most obviously a reference to Dr. Seuess's Green Eggs and Ham.
 * Oren Cousland says that he will one day wield the "sword of truthiness" which is a double reference to the "Sword of Truth" novels and to political satirist Stephen Colbert who is credited with coining the word "truthiness".
 * There is a book you can read in your codex entitled Adventures of the Black Fox that is based on Robin Hood. This could also be intended as a nod to Oblivion in which the leader of the thieves guild was the "Gray Fox". In addition, this may be a reference to the film The Court Jester
 * A possible random encounter arrives the player at a small abandoned camp with two dead bodies and a Shade ambush. A note on one of the corpses reads, "Why, oh why didn't we just take the flying eagles?" This is a reference to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
 * Sten, who is of "Giant" size, tells you that he was jailed for killing an innocent farmhold (including children), waited until the guards came, and did not resist arrest. This could be a reference to Stephen King's The Green Mile.
 * A book retrieved by your dog, contains a passage concerning the sound of clicking over head. It is interesting to note that this is entry 42, the Meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything. It could be a coincidence but keeping in mind the nature of this entry, it is likely to be a deliberate reference to Douglas Adams.
 * Death of a Templar may be a nod to Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.
 * The similarities between Aveline, Knight of Orlais and George R Martin's Brienne, Knight of Tarth is unlikely to be a coincidence, especially since A Song of Ice and Fire have been cited as inspirations.

Film & Television

 * Upon unlocking the door to free Anora who is dressed in armor, your character can comment: "Aren't you a little short for a guard?" A reference to Star Wars: A New Hope upon Luke Skywalker seeing Leia in a similar situation.
 * After killing a group of Loghain's men in the Lothering tavern, a possible conversation option with the barkeep is "Sorry about the mess." This is another nod to Star Wars, in which Han delivers the same line to the bartender in the Mos Eisley cantina.
 * During a Random Encounter, an old human couple and a smoldering crater can be seen. The male human says "It's a boy, Martha! Ten fingers, ten toes! The maker's answered our prayers!" This is obviously a reference to Superman. The ore recovered from the meteor crater can be crafted into Starfang.
 * If your survival level is at least 2 and you're using the "experienced" or "wise" voice set, your character will remark "Warden sense tingling" when he spots enemies. This is a reference to Spiderman's spider sense.
 * In the Gauntlet Ealisay asks what a lark could carry but a man not. One of the possible Answers is "A coconut", which is clearly a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
 * During a random encounter, the player is asked to pull an axe, "Axameter," from a stump. If the player is successful, he is declared the future king of Thedas, at which point several other onlookers will declare that to be a stupid method for determining a ruler. This is a reference to the legend of King Arthur, who pulled a sword from a stone, an act which only the true heir to the throne could perform. It is also a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where finding a sword is decided to be a stupid way to choose a ruler.
 * During the conversation with the hermit in the Brecilian forest, his first question is "What is your name?" which is said in a way which is an obvious reference to Monty Python's film Quest for the Holy Grail. You are then able to answer "My name is Winifred" which is a reference to the TV series Angel created by Joss Whedon of whom David Gaider is an outspoken fan.

Miscellaneous

 * After the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest, Haven will have a massive set of developer quotes in the form of gravestones behind the farm house.
 * If you send your dog out to retrieve an item he may return with a cake, one of the possible responses is a refusal to eat the found cake. This sequence of events is a reference to a Penny Arcade strip.
 * If you speak with Sten at the end-game celebration, he mentions he thought there would be cake and that "The cake is a lie." This is a clear reference to the game Portal.
 * Shale makes many references to humans being, "squishy." This is a reference to the Knights of the Old Republic character, HK-47, who was famous for referring to, "meatbags" with that description.
 * During the succession crisis in Orzammar, you will come across two criers - one for Prince Bhelen, one for Lord Harrowmont. Should you support Harrowmont for the succession, and Harrowmont becomes king, the Harrowmont crier may say this as you pass: "News of the hour! Lord Bhelen attacks the Assembly and is ignominiously slain! Epic fail!" Epic fail is sometimes described by tabletop RPG players as "rolling a one." In recent years, it has spread as part of internet culture wherein a person or group fails spectacularly.
 * During the succession crisis in Orzammmar, after siding with Prince Bhelen, the crier for Prince Bhelen will decry "News of the hour! Lord Harrowmont currently being held for treason, awaiting execution. Epic fail!"
 * When Shale is selected he will sometimes shout, "stop poking me!" A reference to a common joke in the Warcraft series. If Morrigan and Zevran are in the party together, Morrigan will also utter this phrase regularly if Zevran (player controlled) runs into her.
 * The quest Correspondence Interruptus is a play on the words coitus interruptus, which is a method of contraception otherwise known as the "pull-out" method.
 * When meeting a Blackstone Liaison for the first time, he will greet you by saying "As I live and breathe, you're the Grey Warden everyone's been talking about." This is a reference to the way irresponsible NPCs greet you in the game Oblivion when wearing the Grey Cowl of Nocturnal.
 * There's an axe in the game called "Faith's Edge". The main character of the game Mirror's Edge is named Faith.
 * An apparently perfectly innocent recipe found in Arl Eamon's home, Fluffly Mackerel Pudding has a real life history of being one of Weight Watcher's most popular and most disturbing recipes.