Ulfric had his lackies nibble his bindings off. He removed the gag himself.

Many Stormcloak teeth were broken that day...

Yeah Ulfric stormcloak is such a bad guy that he showed such concerns over his men to avoid a bloodbath that he ordered his men to surrender, himself included.

I think I rather support a soon to be racist king then someone like General Tullius who allows innocent people (The dragonborn) to be wrongfully executed.

Oh and why couldn't Ulfric shout the rag off of his face? Does it have some enchantments on it to seal off his shout?

You're kidding me right?

This is right at the beginning of the game.
That's not a spoiler. That's the introduction...

I agree -- It says a lot by executing him as if he is just another law-breaker. It makes him seem less special.

Anyway @ OP, he surrendered his forces when he was ambushed 5:1, he'd rather be captured with a chance of escape or breaking loose at some point than to have all of his men cut down pointlessly. He could have shouted some Imperials away, but not all.

Fingers were free. others could unknot the bindings with their teeth, grind the cloth/rope over jagged, recently-broken rock, use blades dropped by soldiers in the panic. There are many ways it could be done.

Welcome to everysingle plotline ever created for a movie or a game.

if your going to capture a renegade leader like Ulfric you dont want a massive escort or a huge fuss. Low key, quick execution to prevent any rescue attempts.

That and every villain taking the time to explain their nefarious scheme (to someone who is supposed to die and therefore not care at all) and sealing their doom by taking too long. Ahhh, plot elements.

Regarding Ulfric's being killed alongside two unknowns, this mirrors Jesus' execution. Jesus was crucified alongside two common thiefs. It is exactly as someone previously stated, this is done to reduce the status of a "great" individual to that of "low-lifes" in the eyes of the populace. Now, I don't want to get into a religious debate, but I do believe this was the plan of the Devs.

As to the gag, I don't believe one can "shout" through a gag as the purpose is to prevent speech. I believe the "shout" is considered a build-up of one's voice power from deep inside oneself and any barrier that close to one's mouth would prevent the shout from working properly. About the bindings, I wonder if there is some graphics limitations preventing the bindings from appearing more realistic.

Interesting discussion.

One thing that kind of irks me. In the beginning, when I run into the tower, everyone else has gotten themselves untied. No one offers to untie me. No, I have to run up a flight of stairs, jump through an inn's roof and then halfway around the town to the keep while dodging a dragon with both hands still tied...

And possibly blowing his own head off. FUS RO SPLORTCH!

As someone who has watched Dog the Bounty Hunter too many times, I've noticed that it is entirely possible to smoke a cigarette with your hands in cuffs in front of you. So ripping the gag off the person next to you should not have been a problem... And once Ulfric is ungagged he could use a Shout.

He was better gagged, Ulfric's pretty annoying.

Well Talos is Tamriel's Jesus figure...Mortal Ascends to godhood and all that...