Finally downloaded a stable diffusion to try this out. An evolution of my prompts, and the results I was getting:
first try
"Ogre Warrior"
much later
giant brutish and powerful ogre warrior, (pale white skin), bald, sharp lower incisors, forefront of a battlefield, sword in hand cleaving through enemies, plate armor detailed with skulls and tiki, swamp, mist, oil painting, painted by ((keith parkinson)), high quality, photorealistic
much later
ogre warrior, monstrous, harsh, primitive, giant, brutish, powerful, emotive, raging, pale white skin, bald, sharp lower incisors, oversized head, primitive armor, decorated with tiki, crown of tiny skulls, battlefield, (swamp), mist, painting, 80s artwork, fantasy, traditional media, realistic, oil gothic, style of keith parkinson, detailed, photorealistic
If only I knew what the hell was working and what wasn't.