CTRL+K is the right combination. Then you can press any key to continue reading. If you want all the messages to whiz past, if there is lots and you dont care what they will be (for example surrounded by weak spiders or rats and their attacks are spammy, orrr waiting in spot to regenerate but you keep getting a certain tension) hit Return (the big enter button).
As for the weapons combination, certain conservative players will say "Spear plus shield" but actually all three combinations are very good in their own ways. Personally, I'd go with quarterstaff as my main choice, Big Punch as my second, and spear as the third choice.
Green hags are totally random. I'm sorry for you. They're not terribly rare, just terribly random.