To find all 12 Journalist’s Stash locations in Stalker 2, follow these detailed steps:

1. **Complete the Main Quest and Receive the Side Quest**
– Complete an early main quest in Stalker 2.
– Automatically receive the side quest called “Ask And You Shall Find.”
– Check your private stash for a mysterious flash drive containing a recording from the Journalist.

2. **Locate Each Stash**
Here are the locations and detailed instructions for each of the 12 Journalist’s Stashes:

1. **Lesser Zone (Sphere)**
– **Location**: Inside the Sphere, a large military outpost area.
– Head to the large military outpost area.
– Find the small building right up against the perimeter wall.
– Climb the ladder on the western side of the building.
– Open the Stash on the roof to find an **AR416 Monolith** and ammo, along with a data stick containing a recording from the Journalist.

2. **Lesser Zone (Northern Checkpoint)**
– **Location**: Inside the Northern Checkpoint.
– Head into the compound.
– Climb the ladder on the edge of the main white building.
– Drop down onto the lower rooftop using another ladder.
– Find the Journalist’s Stash and collect a **Viper Monolith** and some ammo.

3. **Garbage (South)**
– **Location**: Amid an area of garbage, inside an old broken minibus.
– Follow the icon on the map to the south of Garbage.
– Enter the minibus to find the Stash.
– Collect an **M860 Monolith** and ammo.

4. **Garbage (North)**
– **Location**: Amid an area of garbage, details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

5. **Rostok**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

6. **Yaniv**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

7. **Chemical Plant**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

8. **Burnt Forest**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

9. **Swamp (North)**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

10. **Swamp (South)**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area.

11. **Duga**
– **Location**: Details not provided.
– This location is mentioned but not detailed. You may need to explore the area. However, note that Duga is sealed off until a certain point later in the storyline.

Additional Stashes Mentioned:

– **Unknown Stalker’s Stash Near The Post Office**
– **Location**: On a rooftop on the eastern side of the collection of buildings.
– Head to the blue pickup truck and jump onto its roof.
– Jump across to the roof of the building.
– Find the stash nestled next to the chimney.

– **Little Stash In Zalissya**
– **Location**: In a house on the southeast side of town.
– Head out the south gate near the firepit.
– Turn right and see a pile of logs acting as an impromptu ramp up onto the roof of the shed.
– Climb up the logs and take a quick right through the holes in the wall onto the loft of the broken-down barn to find the stash.

– **Unknown Stalker’s Stash Under The Sphere**
– **Location**: Underneath the Sphere during “Behind Seven Seals.”
– Head to the northwestern edge of the compound.
– Look for a large concrete opening going underneath the area.
– Maneuver through the tunnel filled with anomaly acid to reach the stash.
– Find the stash nested at the back of the tunnel behind a steel grate.

– **Poppy Field Stash**
– **Location**: Southeast of the Poppy Field.
– Kill the mutants and talk to the living bandit.
– Loot the dead bandit’s body for his PDA.
– Use the PDA to reveal the stash location, which is just to the northwest. Climb into the rafters of the shack and grab the loot.

– **Stalker’s Loot In Northern Poppy Fields**
– **Location**: Nestled in the hillside facing the lake.
– Keep to the eastern edge of the Poppy Fields until you reach the water’s edge.
– Find the stash nestled in the hillside.

– **Unknown Stalker’s Stash At The Northern Checkpoint**
– **Location**: Inside the Northern Checkpoint.
– Complete the quest “Beyond Seven Seals” and get the Northern Checkpoint Key.
– Use the key to open the door of the building to the left of the checkpoint.
– Defuse anomalies through the window with a bolt and jump through.
– Turn right and head up the stairs, diffusing anomalies as you go. Jump up on some debris to reach the stash.