Where/what should I go/get from here?

I have a W/Mo 13 atm. I am wearing the 50 AL Ringmail set crafted in Ascalon City. Using a purple "Sundering Summit Axe" 6-18dmg, dmg +13% while over 50% health, and armor penetration +50% (18% chance), customized. I have done the missions up to, but not including "The Frost Gate". Did every quest I could find up to that point. I have nearly 2k gold with a few dyes I could sell (including silver), and a bunch of salvaged mats.

Where should I go from here, and what should I get? What armor should I get next, and where is the crafter located? I am still in the process of learning to play this game after a few weeks, this game is alot harder to pick up than most other mmorpg type games I have played before. Not that that is a bad thing, I actually prefer it. Also as far as salvaging runes goes, I have only found 1 purple quality salvage item, it gave me a Necromancer Rune of Major Blood Magic. I got so excited when I got it, til I found out it doesn't sell for that much. Do purple quality and higher salvage items drop more in the higher level areas or are they pretty rare?

You can't get any better armor until you get to the Maguuma jungle area. Do the Frost Gate mssion and continue on in the game.

Any other advice guys?

If you want to play the game the right way, keep doing what you are doing. Do your missions, lvl up, and get the armor in Maguuma. Your alternative, is to catch a run from Yaks to beacons perch, then to Droks to buy the strongest armor in the game. Drops are all random. Even in higher levels they are not always good. You are in the early stages of the game, dont worry so much about gold and drops, simply play the story.

If you don't already have them, buy minor runes to put on your armour.