One in particular stuck in my mind which was whether goblins hated dwarves or clerics or both since the sefault cleric is a dwarf.

I think I have finally resolved the issue.

After reaching Harmondale, I saved my game. My Cleric was the default Dwarf. As expected, she was always the first to fall unconscious when fighting goblins.

I then edited my saved game and made the cleric an elf and the sorcerer a dwarf. Replaying the first part of Harmondale, I found that the Dwarf Sorcerer was not the one to be hit continuously by the goblins.

It appears to me that the "hit list" of goblins is headed by dwarves and class does not matter.