The Dragon Age universe is a vast, rich tapestry of history and character lore that BioWare developers have been weaving in every game and outside of them. So sure, every Dragon Age fan knows the big revelations from Origins, DA2, and Inquisition, but beyond that, the books and comics add another layer (or ten) of lore to tie everything together.
No, nothing in the supplementary Dragon Age material is mandatory to know before playing the games, but for many, the more obscure lore makes the Dragon Age universe that much more loveable. It's well worth any fan's time to read up on if only to laugh at some of the antics fan-favorite characters have gotten up to, so here's a handy compilation of the best Dragon Age lore that the games didn't include.
The reason Cousland's parents call them "pup"
Eleanor Cousland, the human Warden's mom, is an amazing example of a video game mom and yet nobody knows it. Formerly Eleanor Mac Eanraig of the Storm Coast, she came from a family of raiders, and Eleanor was raised on the deck of a warship. She became the most talented raider of her family, known by the fearsome pseudonym "the Sea Wolf." So, fast forward to Eleanor and Bryce Cousland meeting during the rebellion when Maric needed ships; a famous sea shanty was written about their first (awful) meeting, which Bryce eventually sang to propose to her. Eleanor said 'yes' in part to shut him up and the rest is history, but her raider's nickname makes the Cousland Warden their little pup.
Hawke's old hangover breakfast is nasty
DA2 protagonist Hawke undoubtedly spend many a night drinking with Varric and griend in the Hanged Man. So when The World of Thedas, Volume 2 included a recipe for the Hanged Man's signature hangover cure "Pig Oat Mash," complete with rolled oats, ale, salted pork, and overripe apples, fans were introduced to the Hawke hangover ritual, which doesn't sound too great.
Wynne's son made an earth-shattering discovery
Here's the deal: the Rite of Tranquility, that horrifying ritual that separates a mage from their magic, their dreams, and by extension, their emotions, is actually reversible. It's not easy, and an ex-Tranquil mage must deal with an influx of emotions that can easily overwhelm them. This was discovered by Wynne's estranged son Rhys, who later also cast a deciding vote in the mages' decision to rebel against the Chantry. Fun fact: Wynne also ended up giving her life once and for all to save Rhys from a demon, as told in David Gaider's novel Dragon Age: Asunder.
Human Cole's death was especially tragic
Inquisition reveals that the human Cole starved to death in the White Spire (the Val Royeaux branch of the Circle of Magi). But more than that, his death was all just a clerical error: the templar who filled out Cole's paperwork when he was captured was new and didn't know the correct procedure, so Cole's presence in the dungeons was overlooked until after he'd already died.
Zevran has a new pseudonym
He's spent the last few years systematically dismantling House Arainai in Antiva, his former "employers" in the Crows. By the time Inquisition rolls around, he's developed such a reputation for killing Crows that he goes by the title "the Black Shadow."
Wrapping up the whole 'Jowan' affair
Those who played through the mage origin in Origins know the story of Jowan, the blood mage who poisoned Arl Eamon under shady circumstances. He'd been in love with a Chantry initiate, Lily, and tried to escape the Circle with her, but was deserted once his use of blood magic came to light. Well, unsurprisingly, Jowan's foray into blood magic was the result of persuasion from none other than Uldred, the mage-abomination who later destroyed the Fereldan Circle. Also, Lily actually survived her stint in Aeonar, the Chantry's prison, for at least 10 years: when the mages rebelled, Aeonar fell, and her whereabouts are now unknown.
Duncan has been in Alistair's life since the beginning
Everyone knows that Duncan recruited Alistair, a favorite romance in Origins, into the Grey Wardens--to Alistair's eternal gratitude--but Duncan was also Alistair's guardian throughout life. A comrade of Alistair's Grey Warden mother (the now-First Enchanter Fiona), Duncan brought baby Alistair to live in Redcliffe and continued to ask after him and follow his progress as the boy grew up. That's sweet, but...did Duncan really have to stand for Alistair sleeping in a barn?
Sten is now the Arishok
Maybe some players got the hint when Iron Bull mentions that the Antaam is now led by an Arishok with no horns, during an in-game banter. But for those who missed it, Bull is talking about Sten, the companion from Dragon Age: Origins. After Hawke dispatched the previous Arishok, the Warden's surly former companion apparently got the job!
A Starkhaven connection
Sebastian Vael, the sole surviving Prince of Starkhaven, has a connection to one companion from Dragon Age: Awakening. When Nathaniel Howe was sent away to squire in the Free Marches, he ended up at the court in Starkhaven. Nathaniel spent his days sniping fruit off of the castle walls there, so it's quite likely that he and Sebastian crossed paths!
King Cailan and Queen Anora were a pretty cool couple
Dragon Age: Origins didn't really offer much on the personalities of Cailan and Anora, beyond Cailan being incredibly naive and Anora being potentially very manipulative in political matters, but the two of them actually made a great team. Once, the pair up and disappeared from Denerim after hearing about a giant infestation near Crestwood. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but exactly nine days later the couple reappeared in Crestwood drunk, injured, and "smelling strangely of cheese." Later, scouts found the burnt corpse of a giant, but nothing else; when asked about what happened, Anora always said, "We defeated the giant. Now, let's never speak of this again."
There's plenty more to know about the gigantic Dragon Age universe, but this should at least serve as a handy foundation. Since fans may be waiting a while longer for the next Dragon Age game, diving deeper into the already existing lore will have to make do.