The parallels are most definitely there. However, I think the Ashkaari was a conduit for Solas's ideas (Koslun was like Andraste) not Solas himself. Like I said earlier: the inferred Qunari-Tevinter rebellion and rise of the Qun is almost a direct mirror for what happened in Thedas. Revolution tears down an existing social Order, Philosophy of Choice gets set up, Philosophy is twisted horribly over time to support tyranny and Order. Solas cries himself to sleep.
Then eventually he gets up and tries again.
Also, I have the weirdest hunch right now that Sylaise is just as bad as Elgar'nan, and that early humans (Tevinter) were her thing. Ignore that for now. It's probably nothing.
All this talk about the conduit... now I want to play Mass Effect again badly. >_<
Does anybody have an idea about the pyramids in Par Vollen yet? Are there pictures? The pyramids really irk me. They don't seem to fit with the viking thing of the qunari at all. Or any other culture really.
The protheans in Mass Effect are supposed to be space Egyptians... they had pyramids too. And they played god with the asari and helped them develop.
Sooo, if anybody can come up with a scenario where the krogan head is not just an easter egg but suggests it's the same universe and the protheans visited Thedas and left their pyramids there... then they get a big cookie from me. 
But really, what's up with the pyramids? 