Day 15
lost in a flooded cave system

a quick swim found us a really big fish

[current level 17 - 19]

I usually am in my level 20s before going anywhere near Nessie and the Underwater psionic-spell spamming fish and the Rynjin in Bayjin. It's about as bad as the Rapax areas, as one of your accessory slots is taken up by the Scuba Gear, and no fire magic underwater.

I like to go to the Sea Caves reasonably early (but not too early) because of the Renaissance Lute (and the NegatAir), which is quite handy.

With that said, I think I still like to visit Ferro in the Rapax Castle first, to pick up some useful equipment and spellbooks, and since those two Sea Caves items are the only things there I find interesting, and you need to be level 18 to use them anyway.

Out of curiosity, do you remember what your Swimming skill was at the end of Wizardry 7?

(That's one skill that W7 introduced that, for whatever reason, was dropped in W8. As a side note, it's actually the very first skill in the series, appearing back in Wizardry 5, and yes it did improve through use (though the risk of death was so high that, unless you have the item that makes swim skill pointless, it's too risky to try and raise the skill unless you have an easy way to revive characters).)

I'm basically, to put myself in a box, a Steamroller. I love to get my characters powerful early(grind-heavy!), and then crush all resistance. It's payback for what I had to deal with on the Arnika Road. Believe it or not, the Monastery can spawn level 14 Flesheater Slimes, which start out yellow(neutral) until you get close. That made my early Monastery grind something to watch out for. They're nasty at low level.
I would love to get higher end instruments and gadgets now, but my pure casters will handle spells, while my Bard and Gadgeteer will deal with physical damage(that's how they are built). I like to be ready for anything.

for wupass melee its hard to beat a Samurai but Bard and Gadgeteer can both hit hard when not casting yes

I'm limited in my Music and Engineering options in Arnika(Sleep, Bless, Shrill Sound instruments and Energy Blast gadget). I use these once or twice per battle to try and get an increase in Music and Engineering, though they don't do much, Bless being the only "good" spell to use.
What I did is alternate the cursed Bloodlust sword between the Bard and Gadgeteer, allowing them to hit as hard as a Fighter(2X damage with Berserk, +6 Initiative, a hidden extra swing I believe, +5 Sword skill). Potentially swinging 3X per attack, and 2 times per round, though not always, this is a good way for these 2 to build up their Close Combat, Sword, and Shield skills, with whoever doesn't have the Bloodlust working on their Ranged Combat and Bow skills with the Tripleshot Crossbow(they both maxed Strength, so decent Stamina for that).

Day 16
Trynton - Arnika [forgot a blue marble] & back to the sea caves... thank goodness for portals ;)

I have reached part of my destiny!... now the rapex king is asking to see me?

[current level 18 - 20]

There are two separate faction ratings for Rapax: Rapax Templar, and Rapax Common. You may have pissed off either, or both, or neither if you managed to kill Al-Sedexus without her summoning Rapax reinforcements.

There's also the Rapax Army and the Rapax Assassins.

(I note that the Rapax Assassins faction doesn't appear to have any members, but getting the Rapax Queen's treasure will lower your rating with that faction; Rapax Army comes up near the end of the game, though I'm not aware if that rating ever actually matters.)

I'm not worried about the Rapax Assassins, as that faction was clearly cut from the end game, after you grab their treasure, which I'm sure you were meant to do. I just assume the Rapax Army at the end is something you have to kill, along with their snobby prince and his queen, your spawn.

no you don't actually need to kill the prince or the army & there is a special outcome if you skip them... like the option to not disarm the bomb is also in there

the assassins were part of the rescue rapax queen quest that got cut back to a basic 'bust her out of jail' option so you are correct and they don't matter

Day 17
Away Camp - Marten's bluff & Mt Gigas

the king is dead, long live the queen... we talked the bosses into letting us fire their BFG at the Dark Savant

now the rapex prince is on the march and Al-Sedexus needs a visit too

[current level 18 - 21]

I guess for the "good/canon" ending you're supposed to slaughter the Rapax army, as well as deactivate the bomb, or the game ends there. That always annoyed me that once you free the Rapax Queen, she never leaves, even if you kill every other Rapax on the map. The same thing in the Rapax Rift. There are 3 "good/green" generic Rapax in cages, and once you open them to let them free, they don't escape. At least Rafe leaves once he gets the Staff of Ash, and you can take his chain for a good item.
You slept with Al-Sedexus, but didn't kill her yet? Your "stud" character must be enthralled. It must be annoying.

yes my [female] Bard did the deed and there was lots of noise so I assume both girls enjoyed themselves... a hex on a pure Bard is hardly noticeable so no I don't find it that annoying

A hex on a bard or gadgeteer can be a problem, as it lowers Music/Engineering by 20 points, which in turn can result in some instruments/gadgets being unusable (unless the character is a Bard with 110 Music, as 90 Music is still enough to use any instrument).